HOME DEPARTMENT

Anti-Semitism

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-Semitic incidents or attacks have been reported in  (a) England,  (b) Chipping Barnet constituency and  (c) the London Borough of Barnet in the last 14 days.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 14 January 2009
	The information requested is not collected centrally in the recorded crime statistics.
	The recorded crime statistics only hold data for racially or religiously aggravated offences as defined by law. Specific details relating to the victim or alleged offender are not collected.

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Glasgow

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders were issued in Glasgow North West constituency in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 2008.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not held by the Home Office.
	Data on the number of ASBOs issued in Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Executive.

Community Policing

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the mechanism is for ensuring that neighbourhood policing teams spend at least 80 per cent. of their time visibly working on their patch.

Vernon Coaker: All police forces across England and Wales have now implemented the Policing Pledge. The Pledge gives the public a clear minimum standard of service and states that neighbourhood policing teams will spend at least 80 per cent. of their time visibly working on behalf of the public in their neighbourhood.
	The Policing Green Paper explained the new relationship between the Government, police and public. The Home Office has now adopted a more strategic role allowing for grassroots accountability and an enhanced role for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in providing public assurance about the quality and standard of policing in all forces. Police authorities will wish to be satisfied that the Pledge is being delivered for local people and HMIC will validate the delivery of the Pledge through their inspection process.
	Additionally, if the public do not feel the standards within the Pledge are being met they can raise it locally with the police themselves or through their police authority.

Crime: Maps

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces provide crime maps on their websites which plot individual crimes at street level.

Vernon Coaker: The Information Commissioner does not recommend plotting individual crimes at street level because of the potential identification of individuals and premises. All 43 forces in England and Wales therefore publish crime maps to, at least, ward level, with information on burglary, robbery, theft, vehicle crime, violent crime and antisocial behaviour incidents.

Legislation

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new offences were created by Home Office-sponsored legislation between  (a) 1979 and 1996 and  (b) 1997 and 2008.

Vernon Coaker: The number of criminal offences created in Home Office sponsored legislation since 1979 is not held centrally, and could be produced only at disproportionate cost in time and resources.

Metropolitan Police: Disciplinary Proceedings

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the monthly cost, including opportunity cost, of suspending a Metropolitan Police commander on full pay and expenses is.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not held centrally. This is an operational matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.

Metropolitan Police: Racial Discrimination

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the progress made in the investigation of complaints made by the Metropolitan Black Police Association against members of the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not hold this information. This is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority.

Police: Disclosure of Information

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance her Department has issued on whistle blowing policy in relation to individuals working in child protection in police authorities; and if she will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not issue guidance on internal police policy; this is a matter for chief officers and their police authorities.
	However, the general practice is for police officers working in a multi-agency team who have concerns about work practices or the conduct of colleagues within the team, to raise these concerns through their usual management channels or with their Professional Standards Department, which they may contact through a confidential line if necessary.
	If police officers suspect a fellow officer of acting in a way that could result in disciplinary or criminal proceedings, and feels unable to raise these concerns through usual procedures, they may raise their concerns within their force or directly to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, using their dedicated report line.

Police: Horses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mounted police there are in the Metropolitan Police.

Vernon Coaker: There were 145 full-time equivalent police officers whose primary function was listed as "mounted" in the Metropolitan Police Service as at 31 March 2008.

Police: Misconduct

Andrew Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reasons the Metropolitan Police Authority gave to her Department for its decision not to conduct a full case review of Operation Helios.

Vernon Coaker: The implementation of the recommendations from the Morris Inquiry is a matter for the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), which commissioned the inquiry.
	The Inquiry recommended that there should be an independent full case review of Operation Helios, to examine the issue of race discrimination. This coincided with an investigation conducted by Essex police, with Independent Police Complaints Commission oversight, into Operation Helios, which included in its terms of reference that "allegations of racism made by the complainants will be fully addressed".
	On receipt of the report from Essex police, the Metropolitan Police Authority considered that no further action was required to meet the Morris Inquiry recommendation.

Police: Road Traffic Control

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic police officers are assigned to duties in each London borough.

Vernon Coaker: The Metropolitan police employed 612 officers (full-time equivalent) whose primary function was listed as traffic as at 31 March 2008. City of London police employed 26 such officers on the given date. The requested data are not collected by London borough.

Police: Romford

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police  (a) officers,  (b) constables,  (c) sergeants and  (d) community support officers were working in Romford constituency in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008.

Vernon Coaker: Police strength data are not collected by parliamentary constituency areas. Data are collected at the basic command unit (BCU) level and at the force level. Romford is within the Havering BCU.
	The information requested is published annually in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Police Service Strength, England and Wales" copies of which are available online and in the Library of the House.
	BCU data are not collected by police rank and so data relating to Havering BCU for all officers and for PCSOs are given in the following links:
	 31 March 2007
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1307add_tab.xls.
	 31 March 2008
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0808add_tab.xls.
	Data for the police ranks requested are collected at the force level and so data relating to the Metropolitan Police Service for each officer rank (Table 4) and for PCSOs (Table 10a) are given in the following links:
	 31 March 2007
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1307.pdf
	 31 March 2008
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0808.pdf.

Police: Standards

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs she estimates would be incurred in holding elections for crime and policing representatives across England and Wales as proposed in the Policing Green Paper.

Alan Campbell: The Government have announced that they do not intend to proceed with their proposals for directly elected crime and policing representatives at this time.

Procedures Relating to Soham Murders Inquiry

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the next progress report on the implementation of the Bichard Inquiry recommendations will be published.

Vernon Coaker: The Government reported on the outstanding Bichard Inquiry recommendations as part of their full response to the Magee Review of Criminality Information, which was presented to Parliament on 4 December 2008.
	Future updates on progress will be provided as part of reporting on the broader improvement agenda for criminality information recommended in the Magee Review.

Prostitution

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests for offences in relation to brothels there were in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person, burglary, robbery and sexual offences. From these centrally reported data we are not able to identify specific offences from within the main offence groups.

Prostitution

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Tackling the Demand for Prostitution Review of November 2008, what programmes have been carried out in order to raise awareness among sex-buyers about the extent of trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Alan Campbell: During the course of the Tackling Demand Review, a pilot marketing campaign, was conducted in Westminster and Nottingham. The experience of this campaign led to the Review's recommendation that the Government should consider running a marketing campaign aimed specifically at sex buyers to raise awareness about trafficking for sexual exploitation. The Government have accepted this recommendation and will run this campaign to support the implementation of the Review's other recommendations.

Terrorism: Detainees

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the date was of the most recent arrest under counter-terrorism legislation following which a suspect was held in pre-charge detention for over  (a) 14 days and  (b) 28 days.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 January 2009
	The dates of arrest are as follows:
	 (a) Over 14 days: 30 June 2007
	 (b) 27-28 days: 23 August 2006

Terrorism: Detainees

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the date of arrest was for each individual who has been held in pre-charge detention under anti-terrorism legislation for more than 14 days.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 January 2009
	The dates of arrest are as follows:
	Six individuals were arrested on 9 August 2006;
	Three individuals were arrested on 10 August 2006;
	One individual was arrested on 23 August 2006; and
	One individual was arrested on 30 June 2007.

Terrorism: Stop and Search

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been stopped and searched under the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 since it came into force.

Vernon Coaker: There are no powers contained within the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 to stop and search. Stops and searches are conducted under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
	Information on the number of these searches conducted from 2000-01 to 2006-07 (latest available) are provided in the table. Information for 2007-08 is due to be published in April 2009 and information for 2008-09 (when the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 came into force) is due to be published before the end of 2009-10.
	
		
			  Searches of pedestrians, vehicles and occupants under sections 44(1) and 44(2) of the Terrorism Act 2000( 1) ) England and Wales ,  2000-01  to  2006-07 
			  Number 
			   Stops and searches in order to prevent acts of terrorism (Total searches) 
			 2000-01 6,400 
			 2001-02 10,200 
			 2002-03 32,100 
			 2003-04 33,800 
			 2004-05(2) 37,000 
			 2005-06 50,000 
			 2006-07 41,900 
			 (1) Formerly sections 13A and 13B of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and repealed under the Terrorism Act 2000 (which came into force on 19 February 2001). (2) Figures updated since publication of the 2004-05 Bulletin.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Languages

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office has not commissioned or delivered coaching to Ministers or civil servants in a foreign language in the last 12 months.

Driving Under Influence: Accidents

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many road traffic accidents which resulted in one or more fatalities in 2007 there were in Northern Ireland in which excessive alcohol was assessed to have been a contributory factor.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

International Monitoring Commission

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the next International Monitoring Commission report is expected; and whether he expects it to include a section on the seizure in County Meath in the Irish Republic of Semtex during December 2008.

Paul Goggins: The next Independent Monitoring Commission report is expected in May 2009 in line with its six monthly reporting cycle. The IMC is an independent body and the contents of reports are a matter for the Commissioners. Their practice has been to refer to any events in the period reported on which they judge to be relevant to their remit.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Recruitment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the 50/50 recruitment policy regarding the Police Service of Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland to be concluded and replaced with the merit principle of recruitment.

Paul Goggins: As reaffirmed by the St. Andrews Agreement, our commitment to the continuation of the 50:50 provisions is strictly time bound and is focused on our objective of reaching 30 per cent. Catholic composition in the PSNI regulars by 2010-11. We remain on target to achieve this and ending the provision at that time.

Probation Board for Northern Ireland: Labour Turnover

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people  (a) were recruited to and  (b) retired from the Probation Board in Northern Ireland in 2008.

Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, which operates independently of Government. I would encourage the hon. Member to write directly to Brian McCaughey, Director of Probation, PBNI, 80-90 North Street, Belfast, BT1 1LD.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to protect Afghani parliamentarians who speak out in favour of the rights of women, children and other vulnerable populations from threats made against them; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 January 2009
	Together with our EU partners, the UK is committed to improving the human rights situation in Afghanistan. The Afghan Government and judiciary are obliged by law to respect these commitments. As part of our broader efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Afghanistan, we are spending some £31 million on policing and rule of law activities during 2008-09.
	The duty of protecting Afghanistan's citizens, including legislators, lies first and foremost with the Government of Afghanistan. Our continued presence in Afghanistan, providing both military (over 8,000 troops) and development/reconstruction assistance, helps to improve security for all of Afghanistan's citizens. As part of our wider efforts to improve the overall security situation and respect for law and order, we encourage the Afghan authorities to take seriously any credible threats against human rights defenders. Where appropriate, we also raise individual human rights cases with the government of Afghanistan, both publicly and in private. We also provide financial support to the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission, which promotes, protects and monitors human rights.

Colombia: Armed Forces

Anne Moffat: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department records the  (a) location at and  (b) unit with which Colombian military personnel serve once they have completed a period of training in the UK; and whether it records the type of activity undertaken by such personnel in the course of their military career.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 17 December 2008
	I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 11 November 2008,  Official Report, column 999W.

Serbia: Entry Clearances

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on proposals for the liberalisation of the EU visa regime for Serbian citizens; when he expects a decision to be taken on these proposals; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The UK does not participate in the EU common Schengen acquis or in decisions to liberalise the Schengen visa regime, including in respect of Serbia.
	Serbia's progress towards liberalisation of the Schengen visa regime for Serbian citizens will be determined by the fulfilment of all criteria specified in the EU Visa Liberalisation Roadmap which the government of Serbia agreed with the EU in June 2008. The EU intends to report annually on the progress made by Serbia against the Visa Liberalisation Roadmap.
	Serbian nationals have been subject to a UK visa regime since 1991. The UK Border Agency undertook a comprehensive review of the UK's visa regimes, the Visa Waiver Test, in 2007. The results of this review, in the context of Serbia, mean the Government have no plans at present to lift the visa requirements for Serbian citizens.

USA: Capital Punishment

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the US Administration on behalf of the death row prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 12 January 2009
	To date there have been no representations made on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal. While we and our EU partners continue to oppose the use of the death penalty around the world, including in the US, this case has not been brought to the attention of the EU as a case which violates the minimum standards—as set out in the EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty—which the EU uses to determine when to intervene in individual cases.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Pay

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the salary bill for the Scotland Office was for its staff in all locations in each quarter since 1999.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office does not hold records showing the breakdown of the salary bill by quarter, however the full year costs are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   £000 
			  SO and OAG  
			 1999-2000(1) 1,976 
			 2000-01 3281 
			  SO only  
			 2001-02 2,459 
			 2002-03 2,842 
			 2003-04 2,571 
			 2004-05 2,182 
			 2005-06 1,888 
			 2006-07 1,889 
			 2007-08 2,250 
			 (1) Part year, the Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Access

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps are being taken to increase the accessibility of high culture to working-class people.

Barbara Follett: My Department continues to work closely with sponsored bodies responsible for culture to ensure that funding over the SR08 period is used to support the Government's objective to increase participation in culture by adults from a lower socio-economic background.
	Arts Council England is conducting audience segmentation analysis to gather fresh data about which groups engage with the arts and will use this as the basis for a national campaign to encourage the broadest range of people to do so. English Heritage is also looking at barriers to engagement with the historic environment experienced by people in lower socio-economic groups. Through the Renaissance in the Regions programme the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) is seeking to increase participation and achieve greater diversity amongst the visitors to regional hub museums across England. Entry to DCMS-sponsored national museums and galleries has been free for all since 2001.
	In September last year, 10 pathfinder Find Your Talent projects were set up with an investment of £25 million to test various ways to deliver a five-hour cultural offer to ensure that all children and young people aged 0-19 can access a wide range of high-quality artistic and cultural experiences. In November 2008, my Department announced the Free Theatre initiative which offers free tickets to young people up to age 26. Evaluations of the annual 'Heritage Open Days' initiative, indicate a significant increase in visitors from the lower socio-economic groups in 2006 and 2007 to those sites where records allow comparison with previous years.
	The DCMS 'Taking Part' survey is being used to measure participation by adults from the priority groups. The most recent results, published in December 2008, indicate that the proportion of adults from lower socio-economic backgrounds attending a museum or gallery during the previous 12 months was 30.6 per cent., a 2.3 per cent. increase compared to the baseline established in 2005-06. For visits to historic environment sites the comparable figures were 59.4 per cent. attendance, an increase of 2.3 per cent. on the 2005-06 baseline. Attendance at arts events was 18.3 per cent. of this group with no significant statistical change on the baseline.

Arts: Apprentices

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people have enrolled on Creative Britain apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: My Department's strategy for the creative economy, Creative Britain—New Talents for the New Economy, includes the ambition of working with employers and sector skills councils to establish up to 5000 apprenticeships in the creative industries by 2013.
	To date, over 160 employers have signed up to offer the Creative Apprenticeship, a mix of on the job and off the job training with 13 apprenticeships started and a further 130 due to start later this year. There are also pilots with the BBC at Mediacity:uk and the Savile Row Tailors.
	Once established, the National Apprenticeship Service will monitor starts and completions of all approved apprenticeships.

Creative Britain Review

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of the Creative Britain Review was to his Department; what financial contributions were made by other Government departments; and what staff costs were involved.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 14 January 2009
	 In January 2007, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) commissioned the Work Foundation to produce Staying Ahead, a report analysing the economic performance of the Creative Industries in the UK. The cost of producing this report was approximately £84,000.
	Following this report, DCMS, the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) produced Creative Britain in February 2008, which outlined 26 commitments seeking to maximise the contribution of the Creative Industries to the UK economy. The costs of producing this document were approximately £74,000. Of this, BERR provided £30,000. It is difficult to estimate the staff costs as most of the officials from each Department involved (DCMS, BERR and DIUS) were engaged on other projects at the same time.

Departmental Catering

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) directly-operated and  (b) franchised catering outlets his Department and its agency provides for staff.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department has one directly operated catering outlet for its staff. The Royal Parks Agency, the Department's one executive agency, does not have any directly operated or franchised catering outlets for its staff.

Gaming: Licensing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes he plans to make to licensing guidelines concerning gaming codes.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Gambling Commission have advised that on 1 October 2008 following an extensive consultation exercise, they published a revised version of their Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), which came into effect on 1 January 2009.
	The LCCP can be viewed at the following web link:
	http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Client/detail.asp?ContentId=103
	Since the publication of LCCP, the Gambling Commission has consulted on proposals to add a new licence condition and code of practice provision to LCCP. These proposals set out the requirement that holders of different categories of premises licences ensure that the gambling activity which corresponds to the licence type is actually offered as the primary activity at those premises. A supplement to LCCP setting out any new conditions and codes relating to this consultation will be published in due course.

ICT: Reviews

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what dates the Digital Britain Steering Board has met; what dates have been set for future meetings; which members of the Board were present at each meeting; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the most recent meeting.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 19 January 2009
	The Digital Britain Steering Board has met on the following dates: 14, 21, 28 November 2008, 5, 12 December 2008 and 9, 14 January 2009.
	Further meetings are scheduled for: 23 January, 29 January, 13 February, 27 February, 13 March, 27 March, 10 April, 24 April, 8 May and 22 May 2009.
	The meetings are confidential and it would therefore not be appropriate to publish attendance or the Minutes.

Sport England: Assets

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) buildings and  (b) land Sport England owns; and what estimate he has made of the value of such assets.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Sport England does not own any land or buildings outright. The Sports Council Trust Company, of which Sport England is a member and controlling share holder, owns the following land and buildings:
	National centres: Bisham Abbey; Lilleshall and Plas y Brenin.
	Regional offices: Ashland House, Crewkerene, Somerset; Caversham lake and boathouse facility and the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
	The approximate net book value of land and buildings owned by the Sports Council Trust Company, as shown in the Sport England 31 March 2008 financial statements, is £107 million.

Sport England: Reorganisation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects the organisational changes within Sport England to be implemented.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England have advised that they are planning to complete their organisational change process by the end of March 2009, and they are currently on schedule to do so. However, some posts will be externally advertised and depending on their notice periods successful candidates may not all be in place.

Sports: Children

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans his Department has to increase participation amongst under-16 year olds in  (a) athletics,  (b) badminton,  (c) basketball,  (d) cricket,  (e) cycling,  (f) gymnastics,  (g) hockey,  (h) netball,  (i) rugby league,  (j) rugby union,  (k) squash,  (l) tennis and  (m) volleyball.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government's investment in PE and sport in schools has had significant success in increasing participation in these sports.
	Schools were asked to indicate the range of sports provided by their school during the academic year. Details of the percentages of schools which provided the indicated sports are provided in the following table, highlighting the progression of school participation annually (academic year).
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 Athletics 90 91 92 93 93 
			 Badminton 31 32 35 37 39 
			 Basketball 65 63 67 69 69 
			 Cricket 85 85 89 90 90 
			 Cycling 21 27 34 42 46 
			 Gymnastics 94 93 95 95 94 
			 Hockey 77 74 77 78 77 
			 Netball 84 81 81 81 81 
			 Rugby League (inc tag rugby) 12 11 12 (1)33 34 
			 Rugby Union (inc Tag Rugby) 67 71 74 66 68 
			 Squash 5 5 6 7 7 
			 Tennis 70 71 76 79 79 
			 Volleyball 27 25 28 30 30 
			 (1) Surveys prior to 2006/07 did not include 'tag rugby' in definition.  Base: All schools (2003/04—6,574; 2004/05—11,498; 2005/06—16,898; 2006/07—21,745; 2007/08—21,631). 
		
	
	The following table shows the sports or activities which schools had club links to during the academic year.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 Athletics 32 33 38 40 43 
			 Badminton 10 10 12 14 17 
			 Basketball 27 25 28 28 30 
			 Cricket 45 46 52 56 57 
			 Cycling 4 5 6 8 10 
			 Gymnastics 24 26 31 35 40 
			 Hockey 20 19 22 23 25 
			 Netball 26 26 29 30 32 
			 Rugby League (inc. tag rugby) 10 9 10 (1)18 20 
			 Rugby Union (inc. tag rugby) 39 41 46 44 48 
			 Squash 3 3 4 5 6 
			 Tennis 27 30 36 39 40 
			 Volleyball 3 2 2 3 4 
			 (1) Surveys prior to 2006/07 did not include 'tag rugby' in definition.  Base: All schools (2003/04—6,574; 2004/05—11,498; 2005/06—16,898; 2006/07—21,745; 2007/08—21,631) 
		
	
	Our PE and Sport Strategy for Young People will continue that success story, and we are investing over £780 million to 2010-11 to offer five hours of sport a week. The National Governing Bodies of Sport will receive ring-fenced funding as part of their Whole Sport Plan budgets, aimed at developing further links between schools and clubs, and increasing the number of young people involved in volunteering and leadership in sport.
	Badminton and volleyball are also among the four sports which will benefit from 'Premier League 4 Sport', a new scheme launched this month, which will drive participation among young people in partnership with the 20 Premier League football clubs.
	The challenge for all these sports is to make themselves attractive to young people, so that young people choose to take them up.

UK Sport: Surveys

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when UK Sport's annual athlete survey will be carried out; and when it will report;
	(2)  when UK Sport's annual athlete survey will be carried out; when it will report; and for what reason it has been delayed.

Gerry Sutcliffe: UK Sport have advised that they will next carry out an athlete survey in the autumn of 2009 and would expect to report the headline findings by the end of the year. Although they had previously planned to conduct a survey early this year for March publication, UK Sport are now seeking to strategically align their athlete survey with the end of year reviews of sport that are conducted as part of Mission 2012—after the summer competition season. In addition UK Sport are now seeking to supplement findings with focus groups and other data gathering across the year.
	The decision not to carry out a survey in 2008 was taken by UK Sport as a result of the uncertainty about the number and range of athletes that would be available to survey at that time. UK Sport will of course be able to benefit from the post-Games athlete survey carried out by the British Athlete Commission and they are confident that the other activity planned will inform Mission 2012 up to and until the next survey in 2009.

United Utilities: Sports

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will discuss with United Utilities the effect on  (a) Darwen Cricket Club and  (b) other sports clubs of recent increases in water charges;
	(2)  what representations he has received on the increases in water charges being imposed by United Utilities on  (a) sports and  (b) other clubs in the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I am aware of this issue and will—along with my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who is responsible for the natural and marine environment be seeking a meeting with Ofwat to establish what options are available to ensure community sports clubs are not disproportionately affected by these charges.
	I have also asked Sport England to see whether there is any systematic help they can provide to ensure community sports clubs' water charges have been calculated correctly.

OLYMPICS

Departmental Buildings

John Baron: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how much has been spent on  (a) maintaining,  (b) decorating and  (c) otherwise improving her Office's buildings since its inception; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration.

Tessa Jowell: My office in 26 Whitehall was redecorated as part of the redecoration programme covering the whole of the building (26 Whitehall). Further additional costs specifically relating to the relocation into the building by the Office of the Minster for the Olympics were incurred to a value of £8,485 plus VAT.
	Since then, my office has moved to co-locate with officials from the Government Olympic Executive in 2-4 Cockspur Street to enable more integrated and efficient work. Here a new office was constructed and furnished between July and September 2008, at a cost of £40,625 plus VAT. These costs cover both my own ministerial office and that occupied by my private office and special advisers.
	No money has been spent on wallpaper in any of my offices since the inception of the Minister for the Olympics role.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what use has been made of the advice of the London Fire Brigade in the designing out of fire and other catastrophic risks in the construction and operation of Olympic venues.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 19 January 2009
	There are several levels of engagement with the London Fire Brigade (LFB), much of it facilitated by the secondment of a member of the LFB to the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA)—a secondment that has been in place for over a year and ensures excellent co-operation and communication between the organisations.
	The LFB is party to the development of designs for both venues and the Olympic Park—through a technical officers team, of which they are part, which is associated with the Safety Advisory Group established by the host boroughs (led in this case by London borough of Newham). This team reviews, comments on and assists in the development of designs which are aimed at reducing fire and other related risks for the venues for London 2012.
	Finally, there is a Blue Light Liaison Group which ensures that emerging plans for operational responses to emergencies, both during construction and subsequently, are co-ordinated between the Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade and other relevant parties including the ODA.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what discussions she has had with the Olympic Delivery Authority on contracts for landscaping relating to the site of the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Landscaping contracts are the responsibility of the Olympic Delivery Authority and are awarded following a competitive tendering process. The Authority is a public body whose procurements are subject to the public contracts regulations.
	The landscaping management contract for the north of the Olympic Park has been awarded to BAM Nuttall Ltd., a UK-based company with offices in Surrey. The landscaping contract for the south of the Olympic Park is due to be awarded in 2009.

Olympic Games 2012: Construction

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Olympics on what date the construction of the temporary roads and bridges required for traffic access to the Olympic Park was completed.

Tessa Jowell: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Construction of the temporary roads, hard standings and bridges giving access and lay out space at the Olympic Park construction site was completed up to August 2008 until the installation of the fifth (and final) temporary bridge. The completion of this work, including the establishing of the two main entrance plazas—one in the North and one in the South—fulfilled one of the 10 published key milestones set by the ODA (in Demolish, Dig, Design) to be delivered by the Beijing 2008 games.
	The positioning of temporary roads and hard standings onsite, however, will continue to change in response to the needs of each of the individual venue and infrastructure construction areas within the Olympic Park construction site. This will ensure the safe, secure and efficient movement of people and materials to, through and around the Olympic Park site throughout the construction period as work develops.

Olympic Games 2012: Disadvantaged

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister for the Olympics whether there are targets to encourage people living in the most disadvantaged areas to volunteer to work on preparation for and during the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Personal Best Programme, formerly known as the Pre-Volunteer Programme, uses the excitement of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to inspire the most disadvantaged people to acquire and develop their skills for work through volunteering.
	The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has identified that up to 70,000 Games-time volunteers will be required. It has committed to recruiting up to 10 per cent. of these through Personal Best.
	It is hoped that 20,000 disadvantaged people from London will be involved in Personal Best. So far, this programme has been trialled in 11 boroughs with 875 Londoners taking part. This includes the five host boroughs which are areas of significant disadvantage. Over the next six months the programme will be rolled out to every London borough. Building on the success in London this is now being offered to regions, the South East and North East being the first.
	Although not all graduates of the scheme will become Games-time volunteers, they will build self esteem through community volunteering, work experience and gain transferable job skills through a nationally recognised qualification.
	LOCOG has recently launched its Trailblazer volunteer scheme giving volunteers the opportunity to work within LOCOG itself. The scheme began with a three month pilot with 23 volunteers on 19 January 2009 and has been promoted in the host boroughs. If successful, LOCOG intends to involve 60-70 volunteers over the year, increasing the number of participants in the run up to 2012.

Olympic Games 2012: Security

Don Foster: To ask the Minister for the Olympics when she expects the costed security plan for the London 2012 Olympics to be published.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Due to security considerations, the costed security plan for the London 2012 Olympics is necessarily a classified document. As such, the Home Office is considering proposals for publishing an unclassified version later in 2009.

Olympic Games 2012: Voluntary Organisations

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what mechanisms are in place to encourage existing volunteer organisations to take part in work in preparation for and during the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Government, through the Office of the Third Sector and the Government Olympic Executive, and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games have been encouraging volunteering organisations to take part in work in preparation for, during and after London 2012 since the early stages of the bid to win the games, through hosting a number of events at both ministerial and official level.
	The Government's ambition to maximise the opportunities for a volunteering legacy from the games is reflected in our legacy promise to get thousands more young people giving time to their communities as a result of 2012. This has recently translated into my launch of the "2012 Challenge" in December 2008, a public commitment by Government and key third sector organisations to work together to ensure this ambition is realised.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Industrial Health and Safety

Graham Allen: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what measures have been undertaken to address the moth infestation in T block; and when the operation is expected to be completed.

Nick Harvey: Significant numbers of the Common House Moth ( Tineola bisselliella) were first reported in the House in early 2008 and preventative treatment has been undertaken since then. In order to minimise the use of pesticides and the consequent risk of exposure to potential toxicants, a process involving moth pheromone has been employed.
	Monitoring of moth activity shows that moth numbers within the House of Commons estate are generally reducing. However, activity in T block remains an issue and alternative methods of eradication are being considered. Measures are likely to involve spraying within offices and heat treatment of items contained in them in order to kill larvae. Members with offices in areas affected will be consulted in due course.

Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission how much has been spent by the House of Commons Commission on staff reward and recognition schemes in each of the last three years.

Nick Harvey: The amounts spent on staff reward and recognition schemes have been:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Actual  Forecast 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Non-consolidated performance pay 572,254 548,217 642,242 
			 Staff recognition schemes 2,739 3,985 5,173 
			 Total 574,993 552,202 647,415 
		
	
	In addition, there are long service and other staff awards, which include non-cash rewards. The amounts involved are not collated centrally, but are modest in nature.

WALES

Broadcasting

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and  (b) the Welsh Assembly Government on (i) the future of public sector broadcasting and (ii) the implementation of digital switchover in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Murphy: My hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and I regularly meet ministerial colleagues and Welsh Assembly Government colleagues to discuss issues affecting Wales, including broadcasting and digital switchover.
	As Minister with responsibility for digital inclusion, I am keenly aware of the various issues that surround these subjects and have also met with representatives of various stakeholders—such as the Office of Communication (Ofcom), the BBC, ITV and S4C—to hear their views.
	In addition, my officials are actively involved in a number of cross-Government groups, which include representation from the Welsh Assembly Government, that discuss and monitor the ongoing Switchover process. The Wales Office was also involved in discussions that surrounded the recent review of public service broadcasting being undertaken by Ofcom. Through this work, we will continue to ensure that Wales has a strong voice in these important issues.

Departmental Buildings

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent on  (a) maintaining,  (b) decorating and  (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration.

Paul Murphy: Care and maintenance of the Wales Office's two offices (one in London and one in Cardiff) were, until 2005-06, managed by the Welsh Assembly Government. Specific costs for the Wales Office were not systematically identified.
	Since 2005, the premises have been managed within the Ministry of Justice (previously the Department for Constitutional Affairs). The following tables give the available information by year for maintenance, decoration, and other improvements.
	
		
			  Maintenance (including electrical and mechanical engineering and plumbing works) 
			   £ 
			 2004-05 97,388 
			 2005-06 42,972 
			 2006-07 59,707 
			 2007-08 35,843 
		
	
	
		
			  Decoration (the 2006-07 figure includes carpet tile replacement on health and safety grounds, and renewed sanitation) 
			   £ 
			 2003-04 5,121 
			 2005-06 — 
			 2006-07 65,364 
			 2007-08 — 
		
	
	Improvement works (the 2005-06 figure includes £79,809 to replace a lift to meet health and safety and disabled access standards. The 2007-08 figure includes the cost of specialist exterior stonework cleaning of the listed London building, which was recommended on heritage preservation grounds).
	
		
			  £ 
			 2005-06 85,238 
			 2006-07 13,819 
			 2007-08 77,042 
		
	
	We have no wallpaper. There are no plans for further spending on departmental decoration at this time.

Departmental Catering

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which  (a) food and  (b) drinks companies have supplied his Department in each of the last three years; and how much was paid to each of those suppliers in each of those years.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Catering

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what  (a) directly-operated and  (b) franchised catering outlets his Department provides for staff.

Paul Murphy: None.

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members of staff in his Department have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to his Department in each year since its inception.

Paul Murphy: Since the inception of the Wales Office in 1999, there have been four losses of mobile telephones. After ascertaining the facts, the Department had no reason to take action against the individuals concerned. There have been no losses of laptop computers, memory sticks, or desktop computers.

Departmental Languages

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office has not provided coaching in any foreign language to either Ministers or staff in the last 12 months. However, my Department has paid £335 for two civil servants to learn the Welsh language.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department since its inception; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office has not commissioned any expert advisers since it's inception.

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that temporary and permanent employees of his Department employed at the same grade receive the same hourly rate of pay.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to him on 14 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 584-85W.

Departmental Surveys

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department's central media and communication unit spent on public surveys in each of the last three years.

Paul Murphy: The Wales Office has not conducted any public surveys in the last three years.

Departmental Written Questions

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions in the last 12 months Ministers in his Department have used their discretion to rule that a parliamentary question for written answer should be answered because it would be in the public interest to do so, even though to do so would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £700.

Paul Murphy: None.

Offenders

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many former prisoners are employed by his Department; and what his Department's policy is on employing former prisoners.

Paul Murphy: The majority of staff working in the Wales office are seconded from other Government departments. Therefore, the individual's home department under The Civil Service Management Code carries out the necessary security checks. Sections 1.1.5 and 1.1.6 deal specifically with checks before appointment.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Departmental Data Protection

Paul Holmes: To ask the Leader of the House how many members of staff in her Office have been  (a) investigated,  (b) suspended and  (c) dismissed for losing (i) memory sticks, (ii) laptop computers, (iii) desktop computers and (iv) mobile telephones belonging to her Office in each year since 1997.

Chris Bryant: There have been no further losses following the answer I gave on 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1262W, namely that since June 2007, one laptop has been reported stolen from the Leader of the House of Commons Office. The laptop was used to update the office website and did not contain any personal data or other sensitive information. No data have been lost. No members of staff in the Leader's Office have been investigated, suspended or dismissed for losing memory sticks, laptop computers, desktop computers and mobile phones.
	Following a machinery of government change, information prior to 2006-07 is available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Leader of the House how much has been spent by her Office on staff reward and recognition schemes in each of the last three years.

Chris Bryant: The amount spent by the Leader's Office on staff reward and recognition schemes for the year 2007-08 was £192.
	Following a machinery of government change, information prior to 2006-07 is available only at disproportionate cost.

Parliamentary Privilege

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Leader of the House what steps she plans to take to ensure the protection of parliamentary privilege; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The precise nature of parliamentary privilege has been regularly and hotly debated over the centuries and is a key factor of our parliamentary democracy. The prime responsibility for parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons lies with the Speaker and the Committee on Standards and Privileges.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the decision to delay the in-service date of the new aircraft carriers by up to two years will have on the procurement of aircraft to operate from the carriers.

Quentin Davies: None.

Armed Forces: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been declared unfit for front line duty in each service in the last 12 months.

Kevan Jones: The MOD collates, on a quarterly basis, management information on "fit for task", which provides a measure of the medical fitness of all trained armed forces personnel. These figures are broken down into three categories: Medically Fully Fit, Medically Not Fully Fit and Medically Unfit. It should be noted that the majority of those personnel who fall under the category of Medically Not Fully Fit remain fit enough to work in some capacity and therefore continue to make a contribution to operational effectiveness, often within theatres of operation.
	Information from the last four quarterly returns of those personnel within the Naval Service and RAF are shown as follows. Personnel numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages rounded to one decimal point:
	
		
			Naval Service  RAF 
			Number  Percentage of total trained strength  Number  Percentage of total trained strength 
			  2007-08  
			 Q3 Fully Fit for Task 31,350 89.6 36,880 89.0 
			  Not Fully Fit for Task 3,530 10.1 4,330 10.5 
			  Unfit for Task 100 0.3 200 0.5 
			   
			 Q4 Fully Fit for Task 31,130 88.9 36,010 88.9 
			  Not Fully Fit for Task 3,790 10.8 4,290 10.6 
			  Unfit for Task 90 0.3 210 0.5 
			   
			  2008-09  
			 Q1 Fully Fit for Task 30,610 88.1 35,540 88.7 
			  Not Fully Fit for Task 3,970 11.4 4,340 10.8 
			  Unfit for Task 100 0.3 160 0.4 
			   
			 Q2 Fully Fit for Task 30,330 88.0 35,010 88.5 
			  Not Fully Fit for Task 4,060 11.8 4,390 11.1 
			  Unfit for Task 80 0.2 180 0.4 
		
	
	The Army currently collates quarterly figures only for its deployable elements, rather than for its total trained strength. This provides snapshot figures of Personnel Unable to Deploy (PUD), though many of these will be able to undertake non-deployed duties. The following table provides the figures for 2008 of the number of personnel recorded as unable to deploy for medical reasons. Personnel numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and percentages rounded to one decimal point:
	
		
			   1 March 2008  1 June 2008  1 September 2008  1 December 2008 
			 Personnel in Deployable Units 70,230 69,700 72,780 73,240 
			 Medical PUD 3,810 3,610 3,780 3,900 
			 Percentage of Deployable Element 5.4 5.2 5.2 5.3 
		
	
	The MOD is in the process of introducing a new and more accurate data-capture system, which will enable it to report validated, comparable data on a tri-service basis.

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel were stationed in Northern Ireland on 1 January 2009.

Bob Ainsworth: On 1 January 2009, there were some 4,510 armed forces personnel stationed in Northern Ireland.

Defence Equipment: Procurement

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made of the utility of Dragon Runner to his Department's operation; whether his Department has allocated funds to purchase Dragon Runners; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: We have recently assessed that the Dragon Runner Micro-Remote Control Vehicle (RCV) is the most suitable solution available to meet particular requirements for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. The Department has allocated no funds to the purchase of Dragon Runner Micro-RCVs as these costs are attributable to current operations. Such additional costs of current operations are funded from the Reserve.

Defence Medical Services: Manpower

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the  (a) inflow and  (b) outflow was of personnel in the Defence Medical Services in each year since 1997, broken down by (i) service and (ii) type;
	(2)  what the  (a) inflow and  (b) outflow was of personnel in the Defence Medical Services in each month in 2008, broken down by (i) service and (ii) type.

Kevan Jones: I am placing the available data of the type requested covering the period up to September 2008 for the Royal Navy and RAF in the Library of the House. The data for the Army is only available within proportionate costs, in the summary form shown up to 2006.

Defence: Procurement

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that a certain proportion of all expenditure on defence procurement is spent on products produced by UK-based companies.

Quentin Davies: In considering procurement decisions, the Ministry of Defence needs to ensure that it secures the best equipment available for our armed forces whilst at the same time ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. Open and fair competition is the most effective method of making sure that we achieve this. Therefore, the MOD does not mandate that a certain proportion of all expenditure on defence procurement is spent on products produced by UK-based companies. Furthermore, any such action would be against EU law, which forbids the provision of preferential treatment to any company, except in respect of essential security interests which is covered by Article 296 of the European treaty.

Departmental Housing

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses owned by his Department are rated as grade  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) four.

Kevan Jones: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Worldwide, Service Family Accommodation (SFA) properties are at the following Grade for Charge (GfC)—an assessment of the chargeable condition of accommodation, along with other factors such as its size, location and closeness to amenities.
	
		
			  GfC  Number of properties 
			 G1fC 11,305 
			 G2fC 27,043 
			 G3fC 21,136 
			 G4fC 9,393 
		
	
	SFA properties are either owned by Annington Homes Ltd. (the majority in England and Wales), the MOD (in Scotland and Northern Ireland) or provided by the host nation as is the case overseas.

Departmental Telephone Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use  (a) his Department and  (b) service providers under contract to his Department make of (i) 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers and (ii) revenue-sharing telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; for which services such numbers are used; what prefixes are used for revenue-sharing numbers; how much revenue has accrued from revenue-sharing numbers in each of the last five years; what consideration his Department has given to introducing 03-prefixed telephone numbers for calls to all such services; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The use of 0844, 0845, revenue-sharing telephone numbers and those with an 03 prefix is determined at local level in accordance with individual business requirements and obtained directly from the supplier. Records of such numbers are not held centrally and information relating to them, including any revenue accrued, could be provided at disproportionate cost.

Estonia: Defence Sales

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Estonian government paid for the three British Sandown-class minehunters; and what Treasury guidelines were followed in this case.

Quentin Davies: The sale price for the three Sandown class ships to Estonia was £32 million (the gross return to MOD). The net return to MOD, however, will be adjusted by costs for regeneration of the vessels and training of crew prior to delivery. Regeneration is being carried out under incentivised arrangements and thus the final costs will not be known until completion of the work. In accordance with HM Treasury delegations, a business case was prepared and scrutinised by the appropriate authorities.

Estonia: Defence Sales

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on the three Sandown-class minehunters in the year prior to their sale to Estonia; and whether their sale was conditional on this work being carried out on them.

Quentin Davies: No work was undertaken, other than normal decommissioning activities, on these three vessels, in the year prior to the signature of the sales agreement in September 2006. Therefore no additional costs were incurred.

Ex-servicemen: Homelessness

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former servicemen and women are homeless in  (a) London and  (b) North Yorkshire.

Kevan Jones: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 November 2008,  Official Report, column 484W. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not collect this information. Independent research was commissioned from the University of York by MOD and its colleagues in the Ex-Service Action Group on Homelessness (ESAG), the research found that the percentage of veterans among London's homeless population was 6 per cent. in 2007 compared with 22 per cent. in separate research in 1997. We are exploring opportunities for further research to find out the extent of veterans homelessness in the rest of the country.

Ex-servicemen: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities are provided to former servicemen and women with post-combat stress disorder living in  (a) London and  (b) North Yorkshire.

Kevan Jones: The health care of all veterans has been the responsibility of the NHS since 1953. Former service personnel with mental health problems, including post traumatic stress disorder will benefit from the Government's decision to extend priority treatment to all veterans whose condition is considered by their GP to be due to service. Veterans are also designated as a Special Interest Group (SIG) in the Department of Health's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme. This will train 3,600 new therapists by 2010-11 in England. Additionally, five NHS trusts across the UK are piloting a new model of mental health care for veterans, one of which is located in Camden and Islington, and another one is based at the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. These will provide a holistic service with social support networks complementing health care. Since 1996, the NHS Trauma Service in Hull has worked with veterans to develop and raise awareness of a suitable care pathway.
	The MOD also provides a Medical Assessment Programme at St. Thomas's hospital for those that have concerns about their health due to service, since 1982.

Ex-servicemen: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans have been treated for post-combat stress disorder in each of the last three years in  (a) London and  (b) North Yorkshire.

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans have been treated for post-combat stress disorder in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) Hertfordshire and  (c) England in each of the last three years.

Kevan Jones: The health care of veterans is a matter for the national health service and the four UK health Departments. Information is not held by the MOD on how many veterans have been treated for post-combat stress disorder in each of the last three years in London and North Yorkshire.

Hercules Aircraft

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft in the Hercules C-130 fleet are currently unfit for operational use; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The numbers of Hercules C-130J and C-130K that are not fit for purpose (FFP) are provided in the following table. The figures shown reflect the position on 13 January 2009.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  Total fleet  Numbers of Hercules not FFP 
			 C-130J 24 7 
			 C-130K 19 (1)11 
			 (1)This figure includes 4 retired aircraft which are awaiting disposal. 
		
	
	Aircraft are classed as not FFP if they are undergoing scheduled maintenance, modification programmes and any other unforeseen rectification work that can arise on a day to day basis or awaiting disposal. The figures do not reflect the fact that an aircraft assessed as not FFP may be returned to the front line at very short notice to meet the operational need.

Met Office

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the  (a) coverage and  (b) accuracy of radar monitoring of rainfall for catchment areas of (i) rivers in England and (ii) the River Severn by the Met Office; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: Weather radar coverage over England was reviewed in 2001. As a result new weather radars have been installed in Kent and County Durham. The density and coverage quality of the network in England is considered to be among the best in the world.
	The catchment of the River Severn mainly falls under the coverage of the weather radar on Clee Hill, Shropshire. The coverage quality is assessed as being in category one (the highest of three categories used to classify network coverage) for that part of the catchment lying between Newtown and Gloucester, and category two above and below these points.
	The Met Office routinely assesses the accuracy of rainfall estimates derived from radar. The assessment is made by comparing rainfall accumulations recorded by rain gauges with accumulations derived from the collocated radar data.
	The Met Office does not routinely derive statistics which are catchment specific.

Millen Report

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in addressing the issues identified in the Millen Report.

Kevan Jones: All the recommendations from the Service Pension Taxation Inquiry (Millen Report) have been implemented. Identified Armed Forces Pension Scheme underpayments and overpayments have been rectified. Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs has paid back tax to those affected by the incorrect taxing of invaliding pensions and compensation payments have also been made.
	To prevent further issues, business process and legislation recommendations have also been implemented or subsumed by wider changes. These changes include the creation of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, and the introduction of Armed Forces Pensions Scheme 2005 (AFPS 2005), the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the Compensation and Pensions System (CAPS).

Russia: Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Russian military aircraft approached British airspace in  (a) each month in 2008 and  (b) each year since 2006.

Bob Ainsworth: The following table details how frequently Quick Reaction Alert aircraft have been launched to identify Russian military aircraft approaching the NATO Air Policing Area for which the United Kingdom has responsibility, in each month of 2008.
	
		
			  2008 
			   Number 
			 January 2 
			 February 0 
			 March 1 
			 April 1 
			 May 1 
			 June 0 
			 July 1 
			 August 1 
			 September 1 
			 October 1 
			 November 0 
			 December 1 
		
	
	The following table details how frequently Quick Reaction Alert aircraft were launched to identify Russian military aircraft:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 19 
			 2008 10 
		
	
	All Russian military Aircraft have remained in International airspace and have not entered UK airspace.

White Phosphorus

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the size of the stockpile of white phosphorus shells held by the armed forces is; and what criteria control the use of such shells.

Quentin Davies: UK armed forces possess white phosphorus munitions for the purpose of producing a smoke screen to provide cover and thus protection for our soldiers on the battlefield. These are conventional munitions that are not outlawed or banned by any convention or protocol. I am withholding information on the size of the stockpile of these munitions on the grounds that its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces. UK training in the use of white phosphorus emphasises that it should be used solely for its intended purpose and not as an anti-personnel weapon.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of  (a) penalties and  (b) enforcement procedures for non-payment of council tax.

John Healey: No specific assessment has been made of council tax penalties and enforcement, but collection rates have improved every year for the last eight years, underlying the efforts of all councils and the effectiveness of the system.

Gypsies and Travellers

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will revise the guidance to local authorities in respect of the application of race relations legislation to planning applications involving Gypsy and Traveller sites to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the police and local authorities in managing such sites.

Iain Wright: The Government have no plans to revise the guidance contained in ODPM Circular 1/06 as suggested by the hon. Member. Local authorities have a general duty under the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended, to actively seek to eliminate unlawful discrimination and to promote good race relations in all they do. We will be publishing good practice guidance on the management of Gypsy and Traveller sites shortly.

Gypsies and Travellers

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans her Department has for the future of Gypsy and Traveller site provision.

Iain Wright: Planning policy for the provision of Gypsy and Traveller sites is set out in ODPM Circular 01/2006: "Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Caravan Sites". Local authorities have a duty to assess the accommodation needs of Gypsies and Travellers and identify enough land to meet the number of pitches set out in the regional spatial strategy. The Homes and Communities Agency will continue to provide funding for the provision of new public sites.

Gypsies and Travellers

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when her Department next plans to review its planning guidance and circulars relating to Travellers.

Iain Wright: The Independent Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement concluded the Government's planning policies for Gypsy and Traveller sites in England are sound. The Government have committed to keeping Parliament informed on the work undertaken to address the issues they highlighted. We will publish a progress report later this year.

Community Cohesion

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department is taking to achieve community cohesion; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: In 2007 we announced a renewed commitment to community cohesion with a £50 million investment over three years and a new public service agreement to build cohesive, active and empowered communities. We continue to support local authorities in delivering improvements in cohesion by providing a framework of guidance and targeted local support. We are also working with faith communities to build interfaith work and support social action.

Financial Assistance: Local Authorities

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps her Department plans to take to assist local authorities in the current economic climate.

Hazel Blears: People need their council to offer real help through improved services and low tax. We have given them billions of pounds of extra funding, and financial freedoms, to help them do so, including putting in place the first-ever three-year settlement last year which gave councils an extra £8.9 billion.

Council Housing Waiting Lists

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of trends in the number of families on council house waiting lists since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Our latest figures show 1.67 million households registered on local authority waiting lists in England in April 2007 compared to 1.02 million in April 1997.

Business Start-ups

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she is taking to encourage provision of low-cost retailing space in town centres for small, local and start-up businesses through the rating and planning systems.

Iain Wright: Our forthcoming refinements to town centre policy will make clear that councils should plan proactively to secure a mix of units in new developments to provide for small businesses including starter premises.
	In addition, small business rate relief, introduced in 2005, offers up to 50 per cent. reductions in rates bills for businesses occupying only one property.

Statutory Services: Over-60s

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what statutory services for which her Department is responsible borough councils will be required to provide to those aged over 60 in 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The Government, through their Supporting People programme, fund a variety of non-statutory services for older people, through local authorities. The SP programme, created in 2003, is administered through top tier local authorities, many of which are borough councils. Over 800,000 older people are supported to live independently through this programme, and services provided include home improvement agency and handyperson services, and wardens. However, it is for local authorities to determine how to best meet the support needs identified in their communities and the Department for Communities and Local Government does not prescribe any particular model of support or services.
	In addition, the Disabled Facilities Grant is a mandatory grant used to provide adaptations to the homes of disabled people and older people to live independently in their homes. Adaptations include improving access to a home, and to the basic facilities within a home, for example by providing ramps, door widening, stair lifts and level access showers. Each year, around 35,000 people benefit from a Disabled Facilities Grant. This Government have substantially increased the Government funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant programme from £57 million in 1997 to £156 million in 2009-10. Local authorities also contribute towards the cost of adaptations from their own resources.

Council Housing Rents

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the merits of allowing local authorities to retain all monies raised from council house rent receipts.

Iain Wright: The retention of council house rent receipts is being considered as part of the Review of Council Housing Finance and Rents Policy which is being undertaken by my Department and Her Majesty's Treasury. The review is currently in its final stages and will report to the Chief Secretary and Communities and Local Government Ministers this spring. It will inform the spending review and will be followed by a period of formal consultation.

South-west Spatial Strategy

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress has been made towards agreement of the draft south-west regional spatial strategy.

Iain Wright: The Secretary of State received around 35,000 responses from individuals and organisations to the consultation on her proposed changes to the south-west regional spatial strategy. This is the largest number ever received to such a consultation. My officials at the Government office for the south west are currently assessing the responses and the Secretary of State will consider proposals for a revised timetable shortly.

Energy Efficiency

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes.

Margaret Beckett: This Department has various policies and programmes for example the Decent Homes Programme, Building Regulations and Energy Performance Certificates that already address energy efficiency in existing homes. The Government will shortly be consulting on a Heat and Energy Saving Strategy, to provide a route map to greener, warmer homes, which will save energy and help householders reduce their fuel bills.

Infrastructure: West Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Government plans to grant to local authorities in West Sussex for infrastructure spending in the next three years; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: Local authorities in West Sussex are set to receive at least £36.4 million in 2009-10 and £47.6 million in 2010-11 in grants from central Government which can be spent on local infrastructure. Figures for 2011-12 will be dependent on the outcome of the next spending review. In addition, local authorities in West Sussex will receive at least £6.3 million in PFI credits in each of these three years.

Local Area Agreements

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment she has made of the effect of the credit crunch on the ability of local authorities to meet their local area agreement targets.

John Healey: We are working closely with local authorities as part of the current LAA annual review to address delivery issues and ensure that priorities and targets remain the right ones for each local area in the light of the economic downturn. This will lead to refreshed LAAs in the spring.

New Housing Estimates

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of houses to be built in  (a) the growth areas and  (b) Northamptonshire in 2009-10.

Margaret Beckett: Planned housing numbers are set out in the published regional spatial strategies, local development frameworks and the associated annual monitoring reports.

Temporary Accommodation

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many households are in temporary accommodation.

Iain Wright: As at 30 September 2008 there were 72,130 households in temporary accommodation. This is 13 per cent. lower than at the same time last year. The number of households in temporary accommodation has now fallen for 12 consecutive quarters and is 29 per cent. lower than the peak of 2004.

Building Regulations: Floods

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations she has received on the building regulations as they apply to resilience of properties to flooding; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: Officials in my Department have ongoing discussions with a large number of bodies including representatives from local authorities, product manufacturers and the development and insurance industries on this and other issues relating to the building regulations.
	Sir Michael Pitt's review of the summer 2007 floods recommended that
	"Building Regulations should be revised to ensure that all new or refurbished buildings in high flood-risk areas are flood resistant or resilient".
	The Government's response, published in December last year, indicated the Government's support for this recommendation.
	Parts A and C of the building regulations, and the associated guidance, address the requirements on structure and on resistance to contaminants and water (but not currently flooding) that have to be satisfied by most new and refurbished buildings. The Government are currently considering these requirements and how best 'flood performance' could be included within amended building regulations. We plan to consult on this in the summer.

Domestic Visits: Wellingborough

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in what capacity she visited Wellingborough constituency on 5 December 2008; whether the costs of her travel were met by the public purse; and whether she travelled by ministerial car.

Sadiq Khan: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State visited Wellingborough in a non-ministerial capacity. The cost of travel was not met by the public purse and a ministerial car was not used.

Greenbelt: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many hectares of greenbelt land there were in North Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: The area of Green Belt land in North Yorkshire for each year for which data is available is presented in the following table.
	
		
			  North Yorkshire 
			   Hectares 
			 1997 56,040 
			 2003 56,730 
			 2004 56,730 
			 2006 58,410 
			 2007 58,450 
		
	
	The first robust estimates of the area of Green Belt land at local authority level were for 1997. In 2003 it was decided to collate Green Belt estimates on an annual basis to monitor the department's Spending Review 2004 Public Service Agreement 6 indicator. However, figures were not published for 2005 due to the extensive quality assurance necessary in that year.

Home Information Packs

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will use her powers under the Housing Act 2004 to suspend home information packs.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Grant Shapps) on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 322W.

Homelessness: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people in the Eastbourne borough council area were recorded as  (a) homeless and  (b) rough sleepers in the months of (i) December and (ii) January in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: Information about English local authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level. Data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	The hon. Member's question asks for figures for the months of December and January. The total number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty ('acceptances') are collected on a quarterly rather than monthly basis, and numbers in temporary accommodation are a snapshot as at the end of each quarter. Monthly data are therefore not available, but data are provided in the following tables for the last (October to December) and first (January to March) quarters of each year since 1997:
	
		
			  October to December quarter 
			   Acceptances October to December quarter  Temporary accommodation as at December 31 
			 1997 130 322 
			 1998 133 386 
			 1999 73 327 
			 2000 113 404 
			 2001 79 356 
			 2002 46 327 
			 2003 73 331 
			 2004 73 285 
			 2005 55 144 
			 2006 36 169 
			 2007 46 152 
		
	
	
		
			  January to March quarter 
			   Acceptances January to March quarter  Temporary accommodation as at March 31 
			 1997 109 252 
			 1998 96 346 
			 1999 119 326 
			 2000 108 339 
			 2001 138 392 
			 2002 52 351 
			 2003 76 274 
			 2004 70 246 
			 2005 35 137 
			 2006 38 145 
			 2007 50 136 
			 2008 28 159 
		
	
	Mid-year rough sleeping estimates have been published annually since 1998, and give a snapshot of the number of people sleeping rough on a single night, based on local authority street counts in those areas where there is a known or suspected rough sleeping problem. Rough sleeping estimates for Eastbourne borough council are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of rough sleepers in Eastbourne borough council (mid-year estimate) 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 3 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 3 
			 2006 6 
			 2007 6 
			 2008 0

Homelessness: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homeless  (a) children and  (b) adults in the Eastbourne Borough Council area were placed in temporary accommodation in each of the last five years.

Iain Wright: Information about English local authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level, about households rather than individuals.
	Data collected includes the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available.
	Information on the number of households housed in temporary accommodation is reported quarterly by local authorities as at the last day of each quarter. The figures include: those households which have been accepted as owed the main homelessness duty; those for which inquiries are pending; those being accommodated for a limited period because they have been found intentionally homeless and in priority need; those being accommodated pending possible referral to another authority, and those being accommodated pending the outcome of a local authority review or county court appeal.
	The number of dependent children (or expected children) in these households is also collected, but data on the number of adults is not. Figures for total households, households with dependent children and total children reported by the Eastbourne borough council over the last five years are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Households, households with children, and children in temporary accommodation, as at end March each year 
			   Total households in TA arranged by local authority  Total households in TA arranged with dependent (and expected) children  Total children (and expected children) within these households( 1) 
			 2003-04 246 205 — 
			 2004-05 137 54 82 
			 2005-06 145 67 100 
			 2006-07 136 76 127 
			 2007-08 159 96 163 
			 (1) Children in TA was not collect until the 2(nd) quarter 2004.

Homes and Communities Agency

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the expected running cost of the Homes and Communities Agency will be in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) each of the two subsequent years; how many staff the Agency will employ; how many staff will work on cohesion-related issues; and if she will make a statement.

Iain Wright: The forecast full year running costs for the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in 2008-09, and planned budgets for 2009-10 and 2010-11, are £86 million per annum; in addition £4 million is being provided to the HCA in 2009-10 for transitional costs. The HCA has 789 permanent staff ('full-time equivalent') currently in post plus 30 staff on secondment to the HCA from my Department, from an establishment of 972 ('full-time equivalent'). It is not possible, however, to provide an estimate of the number of HCA staff working on cohesion-related issues, as many staff working on housing and regeneration will address cohesion-related issues to some extent in their work as part of the mainstreaming of cohesion into discussions with local partners.

Local Government: Mortgages

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will enable local authorities to advance loans to first-time buyers in the mortgage market.

Iain Wright: Local authorities have existing powers under the Housing Act 1985 to advance loans to people for the purpose of acquiring, constructing or improving a house.

Local Government: VAT

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of local authorities which have adjusted their relevant charges in order to pass on the temporary reduction in value added tax.

John Healey: We do not collect this information centrally.

London Pensions Fund Authority: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the annual administration costs of the London Pensions Fund Authority are.

John Healey: On the basis of annual statistical returns made by the London Pension Fund Authority, in 2007-08, £14,404,000 was charged to the Authority's fund to cover the cost of scheme administration.

Non-domestic Rates

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether automated valuation model techniques are to be utilised in the proposed business rates revaluation in 2010.

John Healey: Automated analytical techniques have been used to a limited extent to assist Valuation Office Agency staff with preparatory work for the 2010 non-domestic rating revaluation. All final valuations are produced by Valuation Office staff.

Non-domestic Rates

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the Valuation Tribunal Service has a non-domestic rates manual equivalent to that which it has regarding council tax.

John Healey: The Valuation Tribunal Service does not have its own non-domestic rates manual, instead it subscribes to, and uses as its reference work for national non-domestic rating, the commercial publication "Ryde on Rating and the Council Tax" published by Lexis Nexis, ISBN 978-1-4057-3119-5.

Non-domestic Rates: Business

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether she expects the 2010 business rates revaluation to be revenue-neutral.

John Healey: We expect the 2010 business rate revaluation to be revenue-neutral in real terms. The overall national multiplier is reset to ensure the total yield from business rates is unaffected by the revaluation.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government under what circumstances automated teller machines are liable for empty property business rates.

John Healey: An automatic teller machine (ATM) located within a property, which forms part of that operator's usual business and is controlled by that business, such as an ATM within a bank, is not separately assessed for rates. However, an ATM can be a separately assessed hereditament for rates where it is located in a property and does not form part of that operator's usual businesses and the operator does not have paramount control over the ATM, such as an ATM at a garage shop.
	Any separately assessed hereditament consisting of, or of part of, any building, together with any land ordinarily used or intended for use for the purposes of the building, or part, it may be liable for empty property rates.

Non-domestic Rates: Greater London

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1284W, on non-domestic rates: valuation, how many sub-locations there are in each billing authority in Greater London.

John Healey: The number of sub-location codes in use in each billing authority in Greater London is provided in the following table. Further analysis would not be possible except at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Sub-location codes in London as at December 2008 
			  Billing authority  2005 rating lists 
			 Barking and Dagenham 466 
			 Barnet 812 
			 Bexley 263 
			 Brent 953 
			 Bromley 330 
			 Camden 980 
			 City of London 2,357 
			 Croydon 474 
			 Ealing 722 
			 Enfield 654 
			 Greenwich 275 
			 Hackney 1,114 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,251 
			 Haringey 638 
			 Harrow 839 
			 Havering 593 
			 Hillingdon 1,200 
			 Hounslow 810 
			 Islington 1,365 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,322 
			 Kingston upon Thames 213 
			 Lambeth 349 
			 Lewisham 212 
			 Merton 220 
			 Newham 449 
			 Redbridge 787 
			 Richmond upon Thames 205 
			 Southwark 386 
			 Sutton 343 
			 Tower Hamlets 759 
			 Waltham Forest 817 
			 Wandsworth 329 
			 Westminster 5,869 
			 Total 28,356

Social Rented Housing: Construction

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many social rented homes she expects to be built in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010; and whether such homes will be built to Code Level Three.

Iain Wright: We remain committed to a substantial increase in social housing. Our aspiration is to deliver 45,000 homes a year by 2010-11. This is still some time away and it remains too early, given current market conditions, to predict outputs in that year with certainty.
	We are committed to ensuring that all homes are built to the highest levels of sustainability and as such we are increasing the energy efficiency standards set out in Part L of the Building Regulations and introducing the water efficiency into Part G. In addition, one of the requirements for grant funding through the Homes and Communities Agency's (HCA) Affordable Housing programme is that they should be built to Code level 3 as set out in their Design and Quality Strategy published in April 2007.
	The HCA is currently considering how to harmonise the standards and commitments made by English Partnerships and Housing Corporation prior to the establishment of the HCA and will, subject to a cost-benefit analysis, confirm the timetable for building to higher levels of the code in due course.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

British Waterways

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the terms of reference of the Operational Efficiency Review of British Waterways are.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The terms of reference for the Operational Efficiency Programme Review of British Waterways is currently under development and will be finalised shortly.

British Waterways

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when and by what means stakeholders will be consulted on the Operational Efficiency Programme of British Waterways.

Huw Irranca-Davies: British Waterways, the principal stakeholder, is a member of the review team and as such will automatically be involved in the development of the Operational Efficiency Programme review. The study is underway and options are still being developed. DEFRA and British Waterways are happy to receive stakeholders' views to feed them into the review.

Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps his Department plans to take to tackle problems arising from dangerous dogs in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government are developing guidance for those responsible for the enforcement of the law on dangerous dogs in conjunction with the Association of Chief Police Officers, local authorities and the RSPCA. This follows on from DEFRA's consultation with the police which suggested that the existing law did not need changing but that more guidance was needed.

Environment Protection

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to launch the new collaborative centre for the understanding of natural and environmental risks.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The collaborative Centre of Excellence in Understanding and Managing Natural and Environmental Risk was launched in December.
	The centre will provide world-leading evidence and expertise on environmental risks such as flooding, animal and plant disease, and adapting to climate change.

Environment Protection

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will establish the new collaborative centre for the understanding of natural and environmental risks in the near future; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The collaborative Centre of Excellence in Understanding and Managing Natural and Environmental Risk was launched in December.
	The centre will provide world-leading evidence and expertise on environmental risks such as flooding, animal and plant disease, and adapting to climate change.

Fish

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the annual amount of fish consumed in the UK.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA has made the following estimate of the annual amount of fish consumed in the UK:
	 UK household purchased quantities
	Fish per week: 165.18 grams per person
	 UK Eaten out purchased quantities
	Fish and fish products per week: 13.19 grams per person
	 UK population figure 2007
	Million: 59.74
	 Totals:
	Combined grams/person/week: 178.37
	Grams/person/year: 9275.35
	Million grams/pop/year: 554085.1708
	Million Kgs/pop/year:554.085
	Million tonnes: 0.554
	 Total annual UK consumption of  fish :
	0.55 Million tonnes
	Totals include takeaway fish meals and fish products, ready meals, tinned and bottled fish.

Fish: Conservation

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to enforce the regulations of marine conservation zones in respect of the conservation and management of fish stocks targeted by non-UK flagged vessels beyond the six and 12 mile zones.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Marine conservation zones (MCZs) will primarily be protected via existing regulatory regimes. A series of duties placed on public authorities will ensure that those authorities take account of the likely impacts on MCZs of their own actions, and of the activities for which they have responsibility for granting consent.
	We will also provide a mechanism to allow the Marine Management Organisation (or, in respect of Welsh territorial waters the Welsh Ministers) to control activities that are otherwise unregulated, where they pose a threat to the achievement of a site's objectives.
	Where there is evidence to demonstrate that fisheries need to be controlled or restricted in order to further the conservation objectives for a site, the Bill places a duty on inshore fisheries and conservation agencies to take appropriate measures within their areas. Beyond six nautical miles we will pursue the introduction of measures through the EU Common Fisheries Policy.

Fish: Conservation

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EU on the designation of marine conservation zones as envisaged in the Marine Bill.

Huw Irranca-Davies: There have been no recent discussions between my Department and the European Commission or my European counterparts on the designation of marine conservation zones (MCZ) as envisaged in the Marine Bill. However, the MCZ mechanism will enable us to work with statutory nature conservation advisors, environmental groups, fishermen and other stakeholders to select sites for the conservation of biodiversity.
	Our strategy is to identify the areas that we want to protect, get the protection in place for the activities we control and seek to secure protection from activities such as fishing through international agreements such as the CFP.

Fisheries

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which 10 UK fishing ports had the greatest  (a) number of home fishing vessels and  (b) volume of landings in the latest period for which figures are available.

Huw Irranca-Davies: In 2007, the top 10 UK ports based on the number of vessels having them as their home port are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Home port  Number of vessels 
			 Newlyn 204 
			 Kilkeel 121 
			 Poole 115 
			 Fraserburgh 109 
			 Brixham 105 
			 Plymouth 91 
			 Peterhead 89 
			 Mevagissey 82 
			 Milford Haven 79 
			 Portsmouth 75 
		
	
	In 2007, the top 10 UK ports based on the volume of landings by UK and foreign fishing vessels are shown as follows.
	
		
			  Port of landing  Thousand tonnes (live weight) 
			 Peterhead 147.7 
			 Lerwick 114.9 
			 Fraserburgh 28.9 
			 Lochinver 21.0 
			 Scrabster 15.8 
			 Plymouth 13.0 
			 Brixham 11.3 
			 Aberdeen 10.5 
			 Ardglass 10.0 
			 Newlyn 9.5

Fisheries: Manpower

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average age of the British fishing workforce is.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Figures on the average age of the fishing workforce are not available although a survey in 2006 produced the following estimates.
	
		
			  Number of regular and part-time fishermen on UK registered vessels in 2005 by age breakdown 
			  Age  Number 
			 Less than 20 490 
			 20 to 55 9,125 
			 Over 55 3,216

Fisheries: Manpower

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of people who are  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly employed by the UK fishing fleet.

Huw Irranca-Davies: UK fisheries administrations estimate that at the end of 2007 there were 12,700 people directly employed in the fish-catching sector, either on a full or part-time basis.
	The UK Sea Fish Industry Authority (SEAFISH) has published an analysis (in January 2008) that estimates that if the whole of the sea fishing sector were removed, a total of around 29,000 full-time equivalent jobs would be lost initially, including the 12,700 catching jobs, dependent upstream and downstream jobs and jobs in the wider economy which depend indirectly on these jobs.
	Estimating the number of related jobs onshore whose existence can be attributed at least in part to the UK catching sector alone is complicated by the high levels of imported fish upon which jobs in our processing sector depend. Around 90 per cent. of whitefish processed within the EU is sourced from outside EU waters. SEAFISH estimates that there are around 15,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the UK fish-processing sector.
	The full report on economic impacts of the UK sea fishing and fish processing sectors is available via the SEAFISH website.

Fishing Catches

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average weight of discards per year per UK fishing vessel has been over the last 10 years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: UK fisheries laboratories send observers to sea to record the quantity of fish discarded and retained by fishing vessels. This sampling is intended to provide estimates of discards of the main commercial species. It is only possible to sample a small proportion of fishing trips in this way. For this reason the sampling effort tends to be focused on those fisheries which are of relatively large scale, and which usually involve some discarding. There are a large number of fisheries which are small in scale and/or involve little or no discarding, which are not routinely sampled. These include many shellfish fisheries, fisheries for pelagic species such as mackerel and herring, and in particular inshore fisheries involving vessels less than 10 metres in length. Vessels in this latter category form the majority of the UK fishing fleet. As a result, estimates of discards given as weight per vessel may not be representative. Estimates of discards by UK vessels for some important fish stocks are given for 1998 to 2007 (where available), and numbers of fishing vessels registered in the UK over the same period are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Estimated discards of North sea stocks by vessels registered in Scotland (Sco) and England, Wales and Northern Ireland (EWN), 1998 to 2007 
			  Tonnes 
			   Species 
			   Cod  Haddock  Whiting  Plaice  Sole 
			   Vessels 
			   Sco  EWN  Sco  EWN  Sco  EWN  EWN  EWN 
			 1998 10,287 — 35,134 — 8,861 — — — 
			 1999 2,991 — 35,270 — 15,563 — — — 
			 2000 4,141 — 39,745 — 16,211 — — — 
			 2001 4,440 — 86,297 — 8,869 — — — 
			 2002 1,519 — 32,196 — 8,315 — — — 
			 2003 1,086 — 18,555 — 5,931 — — — 
			 2004 1,266 430 12,834 371 5,765 2,023 547 33 
			 2005 1,169 604 7,412 168 5,547 683 122 1 
			 2006 1,671 581 14,671 310 4,457 1,385 351 37 
			 2007 11,892 221 24,671 322 3,383 541 136 37 
		
	
	
		
			  Estimated discards of west of Scotland stocks by vessels registered in Scotland, 1998 to 2007 
			  Tonnes 
			   Species 
			   Cod  Haddock  Whiting 
			 1998 289 4,801 4,232 
			 1999 62 4,060 2,015 
			 2000 410 6,875 4,831 
			 2001 139 6,087 1,561 
			 2002 110 7,151 1,257 
			 2003 27 3,649 1,283 
			 2004 56 4,072 2,445 
			 2005 45 2,677 828 
			 2006 322 4,453 647 
			 2007 1,107 3,405 312 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of fishing vessels registered in the UK, 1997 to 2007 
			   Under 10 metres  10 metres+  Total 
			 1997 2,436 6,022 8,458 
			 1998 2,244 6,027 8,271 
			 1999 2,123 5,916 8,039 
			 2000 2,049 5,769 7,818 
			 2001 2,006 5,715 7,721 
			 2002 1,805 5,773 7,578 
			 2003 1,684 5,412 7,096 
			 2004 5,394 1,628 7,022 
			 2005 5,134 1,582 6,716 
			 2006 5,203 1,549 6,752 
			 2007 5,236 1,527 6,763

Fishing Catches: North Sea

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the weight of discards of fish caught in the North Sea was in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by  (a) nationality of fishing vessel and  (b) fish type.

Huw Irranca-Davies: We do not have access to estimates of discards by nation for nations other than the UK. However estimates of total international discards, which include estimates of discards for all fleets fishing in the North sea, are available. These can be compared with the estimates of discards by UK fleets to determine the contribution of UK and other fleets to the total quantities discarded.
	Estimated discards (tonnes) of North sea cod, haddock and whiting: (Estimates are given for vessels registered in Scotland (Sco), England, Wales and Northern Ireland (EWN) and for all international fleets combined (Total Int)).
	
		
			   Cod  Haddock  Whiting 
			   Sco  EWN  Total Int.  Sco  EWN  Total Int.  Sco  EWN  Total Int. 
			 1998 10,287 — 40,500 35,134 — 45,160 8,861 — 13,000 
			 1999 2,991 — 14,200 35,270 — 42,598 15,563 — 24,000 
			 2000 4,141 — 13,700 39,745 — 48,770 16,211 — 23,000 
			 2001 4,440 — 13,900 86,297 — 118,225 8,869 — 16,000 
			 2002 1,519 — 5,700 32,196 — 45,857 8,315 — 18,000 
			 2003 1,086 — 6,400 18,555 — 23,691 5,931 — 24,000 
			 2004 1,266 430 5,800 12,834 371 15,551 5,765 2,023 14,000 
			 2005 1,169 604 6,300 7,412 168 8,637 5,547 683 11,000 
			 2006 1,671 581 8,100 14,671 310 17,908 4,457 1,385 10,000 
			 2007 11,892 221 23,600 24,671 322 31,048 3,383 541 6,000

Fishing Gear: EC Action

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures were proposed at the most recent EU Fisheries Council to reduce mesh size; and which countries  (a) proposed and  (b) supported each such proposal.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The only such proposal we were aware of concerned a French request to permit the exploitation of a sustainable gill net fishery in the waters to the west of Ireland, by somewhat relaxing the existing static gear restrictions in the area. This was ultimately agreed by all member states, on the grounds that the fishery was sustainable and it would not have any impact on the deep sea stocks the restrictions were intended to protect.

Fishing Vessels

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average  (a) length and  (b) horsepower of a UK fishing vessel is.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Based on those vessels registered as UK fishing vessels as at 31 December 2007, the average length of a UK registered fishing vessel was 9.7 metres and the average power was 127 kW.

Fishing Vessels

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average age of the UK  (a) under 30 foot and  (b) over 30 foot fishing fleet is.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Based on those vessels registered as UK fishing vessels as at 31 December 2007, the average age of UK registered fishing vessels under 30 feet in length was 23 years. The average age of vessels over 30 feet in length was also 23 years.

Fishing Vessels

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many UK fishing vessels were built in 2008; and what their total tonnage is.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Of those vessels entering the UK fishing fleet during 2008, sixty three were actually built during 2008, with a gross tonnage of 6,168 tonnes.

Floods and Water Bill

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to publish the draft Floods and Water Bill.

Huw Irranca-Davies: I refer my hon. Friend to my previous reply of 9 December 2008,  Official Report, column 39W.

Landfill Tax: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been paid in Landfill Tax by each London authority in each year since its introduction in 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	It is not possible using landfill tax receipts data to determine how much revenue is received from local authorities. This is because registered landfill site operators pay the tax to HM Revenue and Customs and pass on the cost to their customers through the disposal charges they set. The origin of the landfilled waste is not recorded on the tax return.

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones: Horses

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what restrictions apply to owners of  (a) horses and  (b) foals who have land within nitrate vulnerable zones.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The new rules established by the Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2008 will only be enforced in relation to agricultural holdings, and enterprises claiming subsidy under the single payment scheme, if they are located in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). This means that if horses (including foals) are kept on these holdings or enterprises, the manure produced by the animals is subject to the NVZ rules. If, however, the horses are kept on holdings/enterprises which are not agricultural (e.g. livery yards), then the owners do not need to comply with the rules.

Rural Development Programme

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with reference to the answer of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1183-6W, on the Rural Development programme, if he will provide the figures requested where England Rural Development programme legacy payments were made after 1 January 2007.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table shows the value of England Rural Development programme (ERDP) socio-economic scheme legacy projects for which each Regional Development Agency is committed to fund since 1 January 2007. The ERDP closed for applications under those schemes in June 2006. Funding for the legacy projects comes from budgets for RDPE 2007-13.
	
		
			  Regional development agency   Up to £5000  £5001 -  £100,000  £100,001 -  £1 million  £1 million plus 
			  Advantage West Midlands Axis 1 42,458 1,455,637 3,540,202 0 
			  Axis 3 25,562 4,650,208 3,270,059 1,052,441 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  East of England Development Agency Axis 1 22,233 578,711 1,608,141 0 
			  Axis 2 0 0 233,757 0 
			  Axis 3 867 979,757 877,811 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  East Midlands Development Agency Axis 1 21,950 619,196 2,461,063 0 
			  Axis 3 26,602 1,130,369 486,873 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  North West Development Agency Axis 1 26,231 899,641 1,174,181 0 
			  Axis 3 19,881 862,124 25,920 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  One North East Axis 1 9,000 547,000 1,128,000 0 
			  Axis 3 5,000 1,874,000 1,076,000 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  South East England Development Agency Axis 1 23,654 1,314,369 2,614,079 0 
			  Axis 3 0 1,608,485 438,301 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			   
			   
			   
			  South West of England Development Agency Axis 1 21,452 616,777 1,455,953 0 
			  Axis 3 20,452 977,273 587,086 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
			  Yorkshire Forward Axis 1 2,435 352,795 327,871 0 
			  Axis 3 7,762 611,182 374,218 0 
			  Leader 0 0 0 0 
		
	
	The following table is a correction to the answer of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1183-6W, as it relates to funding commitments under Axis 1, 3 and the Leader Axis of the Rural Development programme for England made by the East of England Development Agency since 1 January 2007.
	
		
			  Regional Development Agency   Up to £5000  £5001 -£100,000  £100,001 -£1 million  £1 million plus 
			  East of England Development Agency Axis 1 22,233 (0%) 674,729 (53%) 2,081,851 (82%) 12,565,196 (93%) 
			  Axis 2 0 0 233,757 (20%) 0 
			  Axis 3 867 (0%) 979,757 (1%) 877,811 (0%) 0 
			  Leader 0 0 730,000 (100%) 20,124,765 (99%)

Sharks: Conservation

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proposals his Department plans to put forward at the next European Fisheries Council on measures to protect sharks and other endangered or threatened species from the impact of over-fishing.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The UK Government expressed support for the conservation principles underpinning the European Commission's original proposals on elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays). At the 2008 European Fisheries Council which was held on 17-19 December, the UK Government achieved a balanced package of technical and conservation measures which discourages further the targeting of vulnerable sharks, skates and rays while also recognising the importance of avoiding unnecessary discards. The final agreed package also reflects that the UK achieved a balance between the need to conserve elasmobranchs for the long term with the need to safeguard the livelihoods of the UK fishing fleets and their local communities whose viable future depends on the sustainable exploitation of these stocks.
	The 2009 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) for sharks were significantly reduced to reflect the vulnerable state of these species. Spurdog was cut by 50 per cent. and porbeagle by 25 per cent. In addition to reduced TACs, appropriate technical measures were also introduced such as setting maximum landing sizes to protect larger females and encouraging the timely release of these animals to aid their future survival and subsequent recovery of the stock.
	The final package for skates and rays included a TAC for area VI and VII set at the historic baseline, but without the anticipated 15 per cent. TAC cut applied. Contrary to UK expectations, the 25 per cent. by-catch provision was only retained for vessels over 15 m long in the North sea and not in other areas. Also within this package, common skate, undulate rays and white skate caught in relevant nominated International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) zones(1), and angel shark in all European Community waters, should not be retained on board. The proposal requires that catches of these species shall be promptly released unharmed.
	(1) Area IIa and IV: Common Skate; Area VIId: Common Skate, Undulate Ray; Area VI a-b, VII a-c, e-k: Undulate Ray, Common Skate, Norwegian Skate and White Skate

Water Charges

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the average annual water bill in each region in each of the last five years.

Huw Irranca-Davies: The following table sets out the average water bill for each water company in England and Wales for the last five years.
	
		
			  Average water bills 
			  Average bills ( £ )  (2008-09 prices) 
			  Water and sewerage companies  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			   
			 Anglian 136 150 157 167 168 
			 Dwr Cymru 142 156 159 161 164 
			   
			  Northumbrian Water (including Essex and Suffolk Water)  
			 Essex and Suffolk 148 156 160 163 161 
			 Northumbrian 116 123 126 129 128 
			 Severn Trent 133 143 146 148 147 
			 South West 148 165 181 198 204 
			 Southern 105 116 122 125 126 
			 Thames 131 163 168 172 171 
			 United Utilities 152 148 155 160 163 
			 Wessex 147 161 175 189 196 
			 Yorkshire (incl. York) 134 140 145 148 151 
			   
			  Water only companies  
			 Bournemouth and W Hampshire 126 140 141 142 138 
			 Bristol 126 142 145 147 152 
			 Cambridge 105 117 116 114 114 
			 Dee Valley 123 127 123 121 127 
			 Folkestone and Dover 163 169 176 178 181 
			 Mid Kent 149 163 159 160 159 
			 Portsmouth 88 88 87 88 90 
			 South East 149 174 161 166 161 
			 South Staffs 103 113 116 118 118 
			 Sutton and East Surrey 146 162 164 161 159 
			 Tendring Hundred 184 184 177 167 166 
			 Three Valleys (incl. North Surrey) 137 154 152 152 150

Water Charges: Religious Buildings

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will meet representatives of  (a) churches,  (b) voluntary and community groups and  (c) charities to discuss surface area water charges; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA is in contact with interested parties. The Government are aware of the problem of affordability faced by some customers as a result of the switch to site area charging for surface water drainage and are looking at what can be done.

White Fish

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his most recent estimate is of the biomass weight of North sea stocks of  (a) cod,  (b) haddock,  (c) plaice,  (d) hake and  (e) sole.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Spawning stock biomass (SSB) is often used to give a measure of the size of particular fish stocks. Figures for the SSB of major North sea stocks are available from the most recent scientific advice provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). These are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Estimated spawning stock biomass at the start of 2009 for some North sea stocks 
			   Stock SSB ( Thousand tonnes) 
			 Cod 70.7 
			 Haddock 212 
			 Plaice 265 
			 Hake 151.4 
			 Sole 28 
		
	
	It should be noted that hake caught in the North sea are considered to form part of a biological stock ("Northern Hake") that covers a much larger area, including the Bay of Biscay, the Western approaches, the Irish Sea and West of Scotland.

TREASURY

Construction: Procurement

Bill Olner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Office of Government Commerce will publish the review of construction contracts it commissioned in July 2008 from the consultants Arup; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The report has already been shared with the stakeholders involved in the study and also with members of the Public Sector Construction Clients' Forum (PSCCF) who discussed the issue on 11 December 2008. Arrangements have also been made to place the note of the PSCCF meeting, together with the Arup report, on OGC's website.

Credit Unions

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to increase public access to credit unions through post offices as part of the new Saving Gateway.

Ian Pearson: The Saving Gateway Accounts Bill is currently going through Parliament. It proposes a cash saving scheme for working age people on lower incomes. Accounts will be offered by a range of financial institutions such as banks, building societies and credit unions. The Government also announced in the 2008 pre-Budget report that accounts will be available through the Post Office.

Departmental Buildings

Lee Scott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much has been spent on  (a) maintaining,  (b) decorating and  (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings in the last five years; how much has been spent on wallpaper since 2001; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration.

Angela Eagle: A full PFI refurbishment of 1 Horse Guards Road was completed in 2002. Maintenance and decoration related expenditure since that date is included in the annual unitary payment made to the PFI provider and is not recorded separately.
	The amount spent on such building related services at other departmental buildings over the last five years is approximately £6 million.
	Nothing has been spent on wallpaper since 2001.
	Plans for future redecoration are included in the normal forward planned maintenance schedules compiled for each building.

Departmental Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department received from Ofcom in remitted fines in each of the last five years; and what use has been made of these funds.

Angela Eagle: Since assuming its powers on 29 December 2003, Ofcom has received and passed to the Consolidated Fund the following amounts in fines:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2003-04(1) 0.00 
			 2004-05 77,500 
			 2005-06 160,000 
			 2006-07 422,000 
			 2007-08 4,199,000 
			 2008-09(2) 7,682,500 
			 (1 )29 December 2003 to 31 March 2004 (2) To 31 December 2008

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that temporary and permanent employees of his Department employed at the same grade receive the same hourly rate of pay.

Angela Eagle: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 December 2008,  Official Report column 932W.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford's letter of 13 October 2008, Treasury Reference: 1/6189/2008, concerning Mr. Richard Macaskill of Chelmsford; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.

Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Treasury hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.

National Insurance Contributions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was paid to HM Revenue and Customs in Class 3 National Insurance contributions in respect of the financial year 2006-07; and what his latest estimate is of the proportion of those payments that were above the level needed for the individuals in question to have a full national insurance contribution record for that year.

Stephen Timms: Information on the amount of Class 3 contributions paid in respect of the 2006-07 is not yet available as contributors normally have six years to pay.
	Information on the proportion of Class 3 contributions paid that were above the level needed for a full national insurance record for that year is not available.

Revenue and Customs: Audit

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many audits of businesses were undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs in each of the last three years; and what proportion were of businesses classified as  (a) low risk and  (b) not low risk.

Stephen Timms: The total number of enquiries and interventions undertaken by HM Revenue and Customs in respect of direct taxes and VAT was:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005-06 365,682 
			 2006-07 322,484 
			 2007-08 298,805 
		
	
	The low risk relationships with businesses dealt with by our Large Business Service were only established during 2007-08 and therefore we are unable to provide a breakdown as requested.
	The enquiry figures show a downward trend over the period as a result of better use of risk assessment. This reflects the department's strategy of deploying compliance resources to tackling areas of highest risk while reducing the burden on those who are compliant.
	This approach has resulted in increases in additional liabilities secured from our compliance activities, details of which are published in our departmental autumn performance reports.

Revenue and Customs: Yorkshire and the Humber

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offices in Yorkshire and the Humber are to close as a result of HMRC's reorganisation programme.

Stephen Timms: 23 offices of the 41 offices reviewed in Yorkshire and the Humber are to close as a result of HMRC's regional review programme to align its estate with future business requirements. However, all enquiry centres offering face to face advice to the public will be maintained either in their present building or in a suitable alternative location nearby.

Tax Credit: Telephone Services

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the  (a) longest,  (b) shortest and  (c) average length of call to (i) the claimants' and (ii) hon. Members' tax credit helpline was in each of the last 24 months;
	(2)  how long on average it took for calls to  (a) the claimants' and  (b) hon. Members' tax credit helpline to be answered in each of the last 24 months;
	(3)  how many calls were  (a) received,  (b) handled and  (c) unanswered by (i) the claimants' and (ii) hon. Members' tax credit helpline in each of the last 24 months;
	(4)  how long on average it took to answer calls made to the tax credits helplines for  (a) claimants and  (b) hon. Members in each of the last 24 months; what the duration of the (i) longest and (ii) shortest call to each was in each month; and what the average call duration was;
	(5)  how many calls were  (a) received on,  (b) handled by and  (c) unanswered by the tax credit helplines for (i) claimants and (ii) hon. Members in each of the last 24 months;
	(6)  how many calls have been received via the tax credit helpline for hon. Members in each month since it was established.

Stephen Timms: The information requested about the (a) longest and (b) shortest length of call is not readily available and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. I would also refer the hon. Member to previous answers provided by my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster General—25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 418W, 31 January 2008,  Official Report , column 682W, and 14 July 2008,  Official Report, column 152W—where elements of the requested information have been provided. The remaining information is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			  Tax credits helpline 
			   Average call handling time( 1)  (m:ss)  Average time to talk to adviser( 2)  (m:ss)  Calls received( 3)  Calls handled( 4)  Abandoned( 5)  Busy and engaged( 6) 
			  2006   
			 December 05:12 00:16 (7)— (8)— (7)— (7)— 
			
			  2007   
			 January 05:13 00:19 (7)— (8)— (7)— (7)— 
			 February 05:06 00:18 (7)— (8)— (7)— (7)— 
			 March 04:31 00:17 (7)— (8)— (7)— (7)— 
			 April 05:04 00:28 (7)— (8)— (7)— (7)— 
			 May 05:45 01:49 (9)— (8)— 221 846 
			 June 05:50 02:01 (9)— (8)— 265 818 
			 July 06:03 03:50 (9)— (8)— 402 4,063 
			 August 05:44 01:03 (9)— (8)— 103 247 
			 September 05:52 01:49 (9)— (8)— 184 369 
			 October 05:34 00:52 (9)— (8)— 74 120 
			 November 05:35 00:31 (9)— (8)— 34 69 
			 December 05:32 00:29 (9)— (8)— 25 42 
			
			  2008   
			 January 06:04 02:12 (9)— 1,621 209 315 
			 February 06:05 01:03 (9)— 1,518 82 120 
			 March 06:05 00:59 (9)— 1,375 71 81 
			 April 06:10 02:34 2,270 1,963 307 1,119 
			 May 06:32 04:31 2,780 2,193 586 2,897 
			 June 06:40 04:12 3,098 2,486 611 2,661 
			 July 06:46 04:36 3,851 3,070 781 7,133 
			 August 06:21 01:18 2,197 2,049 147 334 
			 September 06:22 01:48 2,130 1,932 198 455 
			 October 06:19 00:38 1,628 1,581 47 56 
			 November 06:23 00:18 1,415 1,402 13 19 
			 (1) Average call handling time is the time spent by the customer on the phone together with any additional time taken by the adviser after the call to complete any tasks. (2) Average time to talk to adviser is the time taken for the call to be answered by an adviser once the caller has selected an option from the call steering menu. (3) Calls received, where the caller selected an option from the call steering menu and the call was placed into the queue to speak to an adviser. (4) Handled, where the caller spoke to an adviser. (5) Abandoned, where the call was disconnected after the caller selected an option from the call steering menu, but before being connected to speak to an adviser. (6) Engaged and busy, where the caller was played either a busy message or received the engaged tone when they rang. (7) Details provided previously, 25 June 2007,  Official Report, column 418W. (8) Details provided previously, 31 January 2008,  Official Report, column 682W. (9) Details provided previously, 14 July 2008,  Official Report, column 152W.  Note: With the exception of times, figures are shown in thousands. 
		
	
	Average call times on the tax credits helpline fluctuate according to peaks in the business. The peak in demand in July reflects the tax credits renewals statutory deadline date of 31 July. There is an increasing trend, encouraged by HMRC, towards renewing by telephone rather than by post. This has been shown to provide more accurate, up-to-date information, and so reduce overpayments.
	Between 1 December 2006 and 31 November 2008, on average, it took between 16 and 24 seconds for calls to be answered. For the number of calls to the hon. Members' tax credit helpline handled by the Tax Credit Office MP hotline, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 199-200W.
	Information about the number of calls received and unanswered is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of calls to Tax Credit Office MP hotline  Calls handled  Calls abandoned or unanswered 
			  2007
			 June 1,335 1,291 44 
			 July 1,081 1,071 10 
			 August 989 976 13 
			 September 1,170 1,146 24 
			 October 1,419 1,404 15 
			 November 1,249 1,233 16 
			 December 898 887 11 
			 
			  2008
			 January 950 934 16 
			 February 1,039 1,025 14 
			 March 800 775 25 
			 April 966 947 19 
			 May 1,042 994 48 
			 June 1,173 1,118 55 
			 July 1,101 1,083 18 
			 August 848 826 22 
			 September 1,025 (1)1,009 16 
			 October 1,127 (1)1,114 13 
			 November 911 (1)877 34 
			 (1) Figures for September, October and November 2008 correct those provided in the answer given on 10 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 199-200W. 
		
	
	Information about the (a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average length of calls to the Members' tax credit hotline is not available.

TRANSPORT

A40: Pembrokeshire

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the quality of the single carriageway section of the A40 in Pembrokeshire;
	(2)  what recent representations he has received on the merits of dualling the A40 in Pembrokeshire.

Paul Clark: The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for motorways and trunk roads in Wales, including the A40 in Pembrokeshire.

Aviation: Compensation

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1285W, on aviation: compensation, whether he has concluded his review of protection of air passengers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government's work on short-term measures to improve passengers' experience in any future airline or tour operator failure is nearing completion. This work has comprised:
	a study of the feasibility of using an insolvent airline's aircraft and crew to return passengers home. This has concluded that the temporary prolongation of the life of a failed airline to carry out repatriation is unlikely to the best solution even if operationally convenient, because of the need to settle the airline's outstanding liabilities and indemnify the administrator against potential losses from operating the airline.
	exploring better information for consumers to increase awareness of their options for protection against airline or tour operator insolvency when making a booking. I expect this work to come to fruition shortly. Concurrent measures to improve the information provided to ATOL-protected passengers on their travel paperwork aim to enforce increased awareness of their rights.
	exploring ways to improve the information flow to passengers abroad in the event of airline or tour operator failure, especially about the availability of special repatriation fares with other airlines.
	monitoring the development of the insurance market. Since the failure of the XL Leisure Group, demand has led to increased availability of Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance either as a stand-alone product or as an optional or standard part of a travel insurance policy.
	The Government have not yet reached decisions on whether any longer term changes are necessary but are continuing to discuss this with stakeholders.

B4008

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by  (a) the Highways Agency and  (b) Gloucestershire county council on the B4008 since the opening of junction 12 on the M5.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency has not spent any money on the B4008 because, as part of the local highway network, it is the responsibility of Gloucestershire county council.
	We have been advised by Gloucestershire county council that, since Junction 12 of the M5 became an all-movements junction in 2003, the council have spent £171,000 on surfacing at Standish in 2004-05 and £93,000 on Standish Railway Bridge in 2007-08.

Biofuels

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to reinstate the inclusion of indirect land-use impacts in EU biofuel sustainability criteria.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Indirect land use impacts will be taken into account by the European Commission for the first time as part of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). The Commission will report on the impact of indirect land use change, and, if appropriate, propose a methodology to take account of the greenhouse gas emissions caused by indirect land use change, by 31 December 2010 for agreement by the European Council and European Parliament by 2012.
	The UK will continue to be instrumental in promoting sustainable biofuels. Accordingly we will use our research programme to help ensure that the development of an EU-wide methodology is based on the best available science.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the revenue from the Dartford river crossing was in the last financial year for which figures are available; and what proportion of that figure represented profit.

Paul Clark: Details of the annual total revenues from the Dartford crossing are placed in the House Library. The latest available figures of £69 million are for 2006-07. Revenues from the crossing must by law be spent on transport.

Driving Tests: Motorcycles

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the suitability of locations required for multi-purpose testing sites for motorcycles; and whether he has made an assessment of whether a minimum and maximum distance is required between these sites.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Following an extensive public consultation exercise on the implementation of the new motorcycle test, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) recognised that a network of multi-purpose test centres (MPTCs) would be needed to deliver the new motorcycle test.
	The criterion used for establishing this network was that most motorcycle candidates should have to travel no more than 20 miles or 45 minutes to a MPTC. While not every candidate would be able to reach a test centre within this time/distance criterion, DSA had to strike a balance between convenience for candidates and the efficient provision of testing services.
	A key factor in deciding on search areas was the need to identify sites which would give the best geographical coverage for most test candidates and where MPTCs would be used efficiently based on demand for tests in those localities. It follows that those areas with a high population density were the main search locations.

Driving Under Influence

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the estimated cost is of introducing the new roadside breath screening devices with data capture functions to police forces in England and Wales.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The cost to the Department for Transport of funding the purchase of these devices for every police force in England and Wales is £1.9 million.

Electrification: Barking

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Network Rail and  (b) Transport for London on electrification of the Barking to Gospel Oak section of the North London line.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport is working closely with Transport for London as it reviews the business case for electrifying the Barking to Gospel Oak line.

Electrification: East Midlands

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to make an announcement about electrification of the East Midland line north of Bedford to Sheffield.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport is working closely with the rail industry to examine the case for further rail electrification. A decision on the electrification of the Midland Main Line will be announced later this year.

Haulage: Carbon Emissions

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent to assist road haulage companies to reduce  (a) greenhouse gas emissions,  (b) other emissions and  (c) fuel costs in the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport assists the road haulage industry through two key programmes, the Freight Best Practice (FBP) programme and the Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) programme. These provide advice, tools and training programmes which reduce CO2 and other emissions as a direct consequence of reduced consumption of fossil fuel. We have invested 7 million in FBP and 7.5 million in SAFED since 2003. The latest assessment of the effectiveness of the programmes in 2006 showed them to have saved around 120,000 tonnes of CO2 and 52,000 tonnes of CO2 respectively each year since 2005.
	The Department for Transport funding for these programmes applies to England only. The current FBP programme has the facility to be supported by funding from the devolved Administrations while maintaining a single management process. This is proving attractive and cost-effective for them with Scotland and Northern Ireland currently funding specific programme activities for their areas.

Heathrow Airport: Air Routes

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the adoption of dual mode use of the runways at London Heathrow Airport would have on the Terminal Control North flight routing redesign proposals made by National Air Traffic Services.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport's statement of 15 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 355-60, on Britain's transport infrastructure in which he made clear that the Government did not support the adoption of mixed mode (using existing runways for both arrivals and departures) at Heathrow airport.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of people living in the London Borough of Havering who would be subject to additional aircraft noise should dual mode use of the runways at London Heathrow Airport be adopted.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Noise impacts of possible development options at Heathrow were presented in the November 2007 consultation document but not borough by borough. We announced on 15 January our decision not to support mixed mode on the existing runways as an interim measure ahead of a third runway.

Helicopters

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that complaints about helicopter noise are collated in one place and made available to the public.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It has not been the practice for the Department for Transport to collate complaints about helicopter noise and there are no plans to do so.
	The Civil Aviation Authority's Directorate of Airspace Policy (CAA/DAP) has developed a strategy for answering helicopter noise complaints. This includes a well publicised contact point that receives noise complaints from across the UK. Further details are available on the CAA website at:
	www.caa.co.uk
	CAA/DAP supplied information on complaint statistics to help inform the DEFRA sponsored research by Salford university into improving the management of noise from helicopter operations. 370 complaints had been received in 2007 although a number of helicopter operations are not included (e.g. military helicopters and complaints received by aerodromes, helicopter operators and local authorities.)

Helicopters

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will impose restrictions on the use of helicopters for advertising; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The use of aircraft, including helicopters, for aerial advertising is already regulated by section 82 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and by the Civil Aviation (Aerial Advertising) Regulations 1995.
	While in the air, such aircraft must also comply with the Rules of the Air Regulations 2007, and any relevant air traffic control directions.

Level Crossings: Frinton-on-Sea

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about proposed changes to the level crossing in Frinton-on-Sea from people resident in the area.

Paul Clark: To date, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received representations from 16 residents of Frinton-on-Sea, regarding the proposed changes to that town's level crossing. Representations have also been received from nine organisations connected with the area.

Level Crossings: Frinton-on-Sea

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Office of the Rail Regulator on changes to the level crossing in Frinton-on-Sea.

Paul Clark: Officials from the Department for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) met on 2 October 2008 to discuss Network Rail's application to make changes to the level crossing in Frinton-on-Sea.
	The Department received, on 9 January 2009, all the papers relating to the Frinton Level Crossing Order application from the Office of Rail Regulation, and a decision will be taken soon.

Local Government: Transport

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the regulations and guidance on the quality contracts provisions of the Local Transport Act 2008 will come into force; and how many officials in his Department are exclusively or primarily working on preparation of guidance and regulations under the Act.

Paul Clark: We intend to consult on the draft regulations and guidance for the quality contracts provisions of the Local Transport Act 2008 in spring 2009, with a view to the provisions coming into force in autumn 2009.
	There are many officials contributing to the work on the guidance and regulations associated with the Act, of whom two are working primarily on the quality contracts provisions.

M5

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timescale is for the proposed improvements for junction 12 on the M5; to what extent such improvements are contingent upon the Hunts Grove development; what account has been taken of the effect on the B4008 if the junction's improvements go ahead; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: A timescale for improvements to Junction 12 of the M5 is in the process of being re-determined as we work towards making a public funding contribution to the proposals in recognition of existing operational problems at the junction which should be addressed. This will enable a scheme with a mixture of public and private money to be progressed.
	This arrangement will allow the scheme to move forward without being contingent upon a start of works being made on the Hunts Grove development, which we anticipate during the next financial year.
	The improvement scheme would result in some additional traffic on the B4008, and we are assessing the effect as part of the scheme's design which is currently being reviewed.

Motorways: Expenditure

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the capital spending being brought forward by his Department will be spent on increasing motorway and highway capacity; which schemes will receive funds from this pool; and what increase in capacity he expects will be received by March 2010.

Paul Clark: In November 2008 the Chancellor announced, as part of his pre-Budget report, that 700 million of fiscal stimulus funding was being brought forward by the Department for Transport.
	400 million of this will be used by the Highways Agency in 2009-10 to bring forward high value schemes on the strategic roads network. This includes, subject to completing statutory processes and confirmation of co-funding from the region, bringing forward by two years the start of construction for the scheme to dual the A46 from Newark to Widmerpool. In addition, the funding will allow us to bring forward work to strengthen hardshoulders in advance of the implementation of hard shoulder running as well as other high value structure and asset renewal projects.
	The exact schemes that will benefit from the fiscal stimulus is being developed as part of developing the Highways Agency's 2009-10 business plan.

Newquay Airport: Finance

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much  (a) UK public funding and  (b) EU funding has been spent on Newquay International Airport to support the development of new routes from that airport; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 January 2009
	No UK or EU funding on the development of new routes from Newquay International airport has been spent. Support for new route development has come from within the airport's own resources and not from national or EU funding sources.

Newquay Airport: Finance

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent by  (a) Cornwall County Council,  (b) the South West Regional Development Agency and  (c) the EU in the development and operation of Newquay International Airport in Cornwall in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 January 2009
	The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has spent 1.3 million and the EU has spent 13.75 million on the development and operation of Newquay International airport in the last five years.
	The RDA has also approved an additional 9.3 million, which has yet to be spent.
	Expenditure by Cornwall county council on their total spend on Newquay International airport is a matter for them. The Government do not have this information.

Railway Stations: Disabled

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railway stations in Wave One of the Access for All strategy are  (a) fully completed,  (b) started but not completed and  (c) not yet started.

Paul Clark: Of the 50 stations in the first Tranche (2006-09) of Access for All works the following 17 are complete:
	Balham, Exeter Central, Haslemere, Hazel Grove, Herne Hill, Kidderminster, Kingston, Orpington, Purley, Sandhills, Sleaford, Taunton, Westbury, Weybridge, Barrhead, Kirkcaldy and Mount Florida.
	Additionally, Boston station has been brought forward from the second Tranche and is complete.
	Work has started on site but is not complete at the following 12 stations:
	Clapham Junction, Fazakerley, Lewisham, Loughborough, Oxted, Shipley, Staplehurst, Streatham Hill, Three Bridges, Twyford, Motherwell and Rutherglen.
	The remaining 21 stations in the first Tranche are in design and procurement, have begun preparatory works on site or prefabrication works off site.

Railway Stations: Disabled

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has  (a) budgeted and  (b) spent on Wave One of the Access for All strategy in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09, broken down by railway station.

Paul Clark: Assets created by the Access for All Programme are added to the Regulatory Asset Base (RAB) by Network Rail, who have a target to invest approximately 35 million, at 2004 prices, for each full year of the programme through to 2015.
	Network Rail's actual spend over the first three years is as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2006-07 19.4 
			 2007-08 32.4 
			 2008-09 (1)30.9 
			 (1) As at January 2009 with 36 million forecast total. 
		
	
	Historical information on individual station budgets and actual spend, broken down by year, is held by Network Rail and their contractors and is not stated here due to its commercial sensitivity.

Railway Stations: Disabled

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the guidelines for the completion of improvements to station buildings and platforms in Wave One of the Access for All strategy are.

Paul Clark: Each station selected for the Access for All programme will receive an obstacle free, accessible route into and out of the station, and between each platform. Work is being carried out to the standards specified in Accessible Train and Station Design for Disabled People: A Code of Practice. This is available to download at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/access/cop

Railways

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the rate of change in passenger numbers for  (a) Northern Rail,  (b) Transpennine Express and  (c) the franchises that provide commuter services in London and the South East has been in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: Statistics on rail passenger numbers are published by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in the National Rail Trends Yearbook, which is available in the House Library, or from the ORR website
	www.rail-reg.gov.uk.

Railways: Adlington

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation with passengers took place before the change to the timetable was made by Northern Rail to reduce services between Adlington and  (a) Manchester and  (b) Preston.

Paul Clark: Northern's proposed timetable for December 2008 was discussed with stakeholders at a meeting in April 2008 which included representatives from Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive, Lancashire county council, Rail User Groups from the North West and the independent national rail consumer watchdog, Passenger Focus.

Railways: Adlington

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the recent changes to the timetable for rail services from Adlington to  (a) Manchester and  (b) Preston on commuters using the services.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport meets Northern Rail on a four weekly basis to review delivery of rail services and its ability to meet passenger requirements, particularly noting timetable changes.

Railways: Bus Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on rail replacement bus services between  (a) Manchester and Leeds,  (b) York and Leeds,  (c) Hull and Leeds and  (d) Sheffield and Leeds in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport has spent nothing on these services.

Railways: Bus Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on rail replacement bus services in Yorkshire and the Humber in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Railways: Expenditure

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent to date on preparation for  (a) Crossrail and  (b) the Manchester Hub.

Paul Clark: As of 31 December 2008 approximately 175 million has been spent on preparation of the Crossrail project.
	The Department for Transport has not undertaken expenditure to date on preparatory work for the Manchester Hub, other than officials' time. The Manchester Hub studies are being carried out and funded by Northern Way and Network Rail.

Railways: Overcrowding

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1189W, on railways: overcrowding, when the refurbishment programme will be completed; and whether the 13 per cent. increase in seating capacity will also apply during rush hour periods.

Paul Clark: The refurbishment programme is contracted to be completed by 31 December 2010.
	Seating capacity of all East Midlands Trains 'Class 158' trains will be increased by 13 per cent. as part of the interior refurbishment. Therefore, this increased capacity will be available on all services operated by these trains.

Railways: South East

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he  (a) has had and  (b) plans to have with the Association of Train Operating Companies on the introduction of railcards for train journeys (i) commencing and (ii) ending outside South East England; what his policy is on railcards; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Secretary of State requires franchised train companies to accept the 16 to 25, senior and disabled person's railcards. These offer 34 per cent. off most journeys, though the specific terms vary for each card. He has not had discussions with ATOC on the card described, though officials meet with ATOC on various ticketing issues on a regular basis.

Railways: Sustainable Development

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he plans to take to make fast rail services environmentally sustainable.

Paul Clark: Rail generally performs well from an environmental perspective compared to other transport modes. It accounts for less than 1 per cent. of total UK carbon emissions.
	The Department for Transport is working closely with the rail industry to improve the environmental performance of train services, for example, through facilitating the introduction of on-train energy meters and regenerative braking. We are including stringent environmental targets in new franchises and in the specification of new train designs such as the Intercity Express. All proposals for new rail schemes are appraised against a range of environmental criteria.

Roads: Trans-European Networks

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the quality of those sections of the Trans-European Road network which lie within the UK.

Paul Clark: The Highways Agency (HA), on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport, is the highway authority for the strategic road network in England, which includes the vast majority of the Trans European Road Network (TERN) in England.
	The Highways Agency is responsible for ensuring that the strategic road network is maintained in a safe and reliable condition. As part of this, it undertakes an annual survey of the network.
	The condition of the Trans European Rail Network in Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of Scottish Ministers and the Welsh Assembly Government respectively.

Roads: Trans-European Networks

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his duties are in respect of the section of the Trans-European Road Network which lies within the UK.

Paul Clark: The Trans-European NetworkTransport (TEN-T) programme finances infrastructure projects and studies for roads and other transport modes on the TEN-T network.
	The Department for Transport has policy responsibility for the TEN-T programme, representing and pursuing the UK interests in Brussels.
	The Department for Transport is also responsible for co-ordinating and presenting bids for funding from the programme for UK infrastructure projects. These can come from a variety of project sponsors including the devolved Administrations, regional assemblies and the Highways Agency. In 2007, we secured 80.71 million funding for a road package comprising works in England and Northern Ireland.

Roads: Wales

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Welsh Assembly Government Ministers and  (b) his Irish counterparts on the quality of trunk road connections in Wales serving UK-Irish ferry ports.

Paul Clark: No recent discussions have been held with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers or Irish ministers about the quality of trunk road connections in Wales serving UK-Irish ferry ports. Trunk roads in Wales are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Speed Limits

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned or evaluated on the introduction of speed suppressors into cars and lorries to enable those vehicles to keep within speed limits; and what his policy is on the use of such equipment.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport recently completed research into intelligent speed adaptation (ISA) systems, the main aim of which was to look at the effect on driver behaviour over time. This found that ISA has the potential to reduce the number of deaths and injuries on our roads, suggesting that ISA could be a useful road safety feature for drivers who wish to use it.
	The results were published on 15 September 2008 and the final report and an executive summary were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The report is also available on the internet at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/vehicles/intelligentspeedadapt.
	Data from this work have subsequently been used by the Commission for Integrated Transport and the Motorists' Forum for independent research looking at speed limit adherence and its effect on road safety and climate change. The Department was represented in an advisory capacity on the working group for this research. We have received a copy of their report which was published on 30 December 2008. We are clear that any future use of ISA should be taken forward by the motoring industry in response to consumer demand, just as with other technologies available for consumers to purchase if they so choose. We are working with industry and other stakeholders to facilitate the future availability of the technology.

Traffic Lights

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue red light cameras have generated in  (a) the Metropolitan Police area of London and  (b) Essex in each year since 2001; and how much of that revenue has been spent in Essex.

Paul Clark: Information in the form requested is not held by the Department for Transport. The Department only holds information about cameras operating under the National Safety Camera Programme. This ended on 31 March 2007 and did not record fine revenue from red light and speed cameras separately.

Transport: Middlesbrough

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what green travel incentives are offered to people working in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport provides funding for Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland borough councils through their local transport plan and revenue support grant allocations. Such funding can be used to support sustainable travel initiatives. In addition, we publish guidance on the development of travel plans and encourage partnership working between the public and private sectors to deliver opportunities for individuals to choose more sustainable travel options.
	Specific initiatives that exist within the constituency area of Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland would be best provided by the local authorities mentioned previously and/or by canvassing local businesses.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds the Government has provided to the disarmament and demobilisation programmes of Mai Mai groups in  (a) south Kivu and  (b) the rest of Democratic Republic of Congo where the Mai Mai are active.

Ivan Lewis: The UK has contributed US$35 million to a World Bank led Multi-Country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (MDRP), which supports the demobilisation and reintegration of ex-combatants in the greater Great Lakes region of Central Africa . The largest programme of its kind in the world, the MDRP, with a budget of US$500 million, targets an estimated 450,000 ex-combatants in seven countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The programme has already funded the demobilisation and reintegration of more than 100,000 former combatants in DRC.
	Of the 100,000 who have benefited from the programme 33,708 were from Mai Mai groups, of which 28,235 were demobilised and the remaining 5,503 were integrated into the army. We do not have a breakdown for South Kivu. One challenge for the MDRP has been the large number of supposed 'combatants' who have tried to enter the programme without a weapon to hand in (a necessary determinant of eligibility). The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is currently developing complementary community reintegration programming to target those who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the national MDRP programme.

Departmental Accounts

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Ilford North of 20 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 755-6W, how much was spent under each resource account code in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08.

Douglas Alexander: A summary of the main categories of expenditure is included in the Department for International Development's (DFID) Resource Accounts for 2006-07 (published in July 2007) and 2007-08 (published in July 2008). These are available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/

Departmental Consultants

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was paid to the external team who undertook the 2007 Capability Review.

Michael Foster: The external review team was paid 80,222.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of his Department's employees have been  (a) investigated,  (b) disciplined following investigation and  (c) dismissed following investigation since the inception of the Fraud Response Unit.

Ivan Lewis: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to the hon. Member for Sutton Coldfield (Mr. Mitchell) on 15 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1340W and 29 October 2008,  Official Report column 1163W.

Departmental Equality

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the role of his Department's Diversity Champion is; and what the process for selecting the champion is.

Ivan Lewis: Working in a global environment means that diversity is at the heart of the Department for International Development's (DFID) business. DFID's Director General Diversity Champion is fully committed to the legal, economic and moral imperatives which help develop DFID into a flexible, imaginative and diverse Department. DFID's Diversity Champion is fully involved in taking steps to raise awareness and integrate all strands of diversity to maximise the potential and contribution of all staff to realise our goals.
	DFID's Director General Diversity Champion role is rotated every few years among DFID's four Director Generals. DFID does not have a formal process for selecting a Director General for the Diversity Champion role.

Departmental Equality

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's performance against each of its diversity targets was at the 2008 deadline.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) set four 2008 diversity targets for women, ethnic minority staff and disabled staff within the senior civil service and women in top management posts. The following table depicts the civil service targets together with DFID's 2008 targets and DFID's performance.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Civil service 2008 targets  DFID 2008 target  DFID 2008 performance 
			 37 per cent. women in the senior civil service (SCS) 37 37 
			 30 per cent. women in top management posts 35 35 
			 4 per cent. ethnic minority staff in the SCS 12 11.7 
			 3.2 per cent. disabled staff in the SCS 4 2.1 
		
	
	DFID's diversity monitoring data and analysis for the last three years can be found at:
	www.dfid.gov.uk.

Departmental Telephone Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many telephone numbers for which callers are charged at the rate applicable to 0845 numbers are used by his Department for public access to services.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) uses one 0845 number for our Public Enquiry Point which allows members of the public to call DFID about the work of the Department.

Departmental Telephone Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what use  (a) his Department and  (b) service providers under contract to his Department make of (i) 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers and (ii) revenue-sharing telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; for which services such numbers are used; what prefixes are used for revenue-sharing numbers; how much revenue has accrued from revenue-sharing numbers in each of the last five years; what consideration his Department has given to introducing 03-prefixed telephone numbers for calls to all such services; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) uses one 0845 number for our Public Enquiry Point. We are currently reviewing the relative costs and benefits of alternatives to the 0845 number. DFID does not make use of revenue-sharing numbers.
	DFID does not have any contracted public service providers who make use of 0844, 0845 or revenue-sharing numbers.

Departmental Video Conferencing

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost has been to his Department of installation of video-conferencing facilities; and whether there are ongoing maintenance contract costs associated with these facilities.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) completed a project in 2008 to refresh the videoconferencing facilities across the organisation. The full cost of this was 785,000. There is an annual cost of 75,000 for maintaining the key components of the videoconferencing infrastructure.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what  (a) plans and  (b) funding allocations have been made for the long-term provision of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.

Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made on 19 January 2009,  Official Report, column 20WS.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department has provided to Gaza since the recent outbreak of conflict there.

Douglas Alexander: I refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made on 19 January 2008,  Official Report, column 20WS.

Middle East: Overseas Aid

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much financial assistance was provided by his Department to  (a) Palestine and  (b) Israel in 2007-08.

Douglas Alexander: In 2007-08 the Department for International Development provided a total of 63.6 million in development aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
	During the same period we gave no assistance to Israel.

Overseas Aid

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what his most recent assessment is of progress made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal on maternal health;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to contribute towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal on maternal health.

Ivan Lewis: The latest and most comprehensive assessment of global progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including the goal to improve maternal health (MDG 5), is contained in the 2008 United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report. This noted that the maternal health MDG is severely off-track with little progress having been made in saving mothers' lives. The report is available at:
	http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/pdf/The%20Millennium%20Development%20Goals%20Report%202008.pdf
	DFID continues to work to accelerate progress to achieving both the targets of MDG 5. In October 2007 DFID announced an additional 100 million over five years to prevent unwanted pregnancies and make childbirth safer. This money is helping the UN Population Fund provide condoms, contraceptive pills and sexual health advice to poor people in South Asia and Africa. In June 2008, the UK Government announced a commitment to spend 6 billion on improving health systems and services over seven years to 2015.
	Work is currently under way to revise and update DFID's Maternal Health strategy for publication later this year. The strategy will set out what DFID will do to contribute to the achievement of the MDG 5 targets. A stakeholder consultation day was held on 13 January 2009 at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Further consultation is planned in the near future.

Somalia: Politics and Government

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment has been made of the humanitarian situation in Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The humanitarian situation in Somalia is critical and there is a high risk of further deterioration. The UN has reported that a higher proportion of people in Somalia require relief assistance than in any other country in the world, with 43 per cent. of the population (3.2 million) requiring assistance in 2008. Nearly one sixth of the children in southern and central regions are starving, displacement is very high and ongoing and normal lives are severely disrupted.
	The UK contributes substantially to humanitarian responses and committed approximately 27 million during 2008, making the UK the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor. UK funds were also used through our support to the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), and through our contributions to the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO).

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Charities

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality to which  (a) charities and  (b) voluntary organisations the Government's Equalities Office has provided funding since it was established; and how much funding was provided to each.

Maria Eagle: Since its creation on 12 October 2007, the Government Equalities Office has provided funding totalling 134,720 to registered charities and 81,929 to voluntary organisations as follows:
	
		
			  Charity   
			 Help the Aged 6,174 
			 British Association for Adoption and Fostering 22,546 
			 Ethnic Minority Foundation 6,000 
			 Rape Crisis Centres(1) 100,000 
			 Total 134,720 
			 (1) This is GEO's contribution to an interdepartmental budget of 1,100,000. 
		
	
	
		
			  Voluntary organisation   
			 Working Families 49,799 
			 WEA West Midlands 20,880 
			 Wise Works 11,250 
			 Total 81,929

Departmental Buildings

John Baron: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how much has been spent on  (a) maintaining,  (b) decorating and  (c) otherwise improving departmental buildings by the Government Equalities Office since its inception; how much has been spent on wallpaper; and what plans there are for further spending on departmental decoration.

Maria Eagle: The Government Equalities Office leases its accommodation from Communities and Local Government and the Cabinet Office, who are responsible for any maintenance, decoration and improvements. GEO has not spent any money directly on these areas, and none on wallpaper. The GEO has no plans to spend any money on departmental decoration and the leases it has would not, in any case, permit this.

Departmental Catering

Lee Scott: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality which  (a) food and  (b) drinks companies have supplied the Government Equalities Office since its inception; and how much has been paid to each of those suppliers.

Maria Eagle: Since its creation on 12 October 2007, the GEO has paid 16,437 to food and drink companies for refreshments at GEO events. In most cases, these companies have provided food and drink and we are unable to separate the costs for each. The companies used and the payments made are as follows:
	
		
			  Company  Total expenditure () 
			 Avenance Ltd. 97 
			 Beehive Ltd. 182 
			 Cally B 2,820 
			 Company of Cooks Ltd. 465 
			 Epicurus 734 
			 House of Commons Catering Department 500 
			 House of Lords Catering Department 1,447 
			 Marks and Spencer Catering Ltd. 179 
			 MITIE Ltd. 9,986 
			 Starbucks Coffee Ltd. 27 
			 Total 16,437

Public Lavatories: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps she is taking to increase the provision in public buildings of toilets fully accessible to those with disabilities; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Communities and Local Government are responsible for the Building Regulations 2000. In line with the Disability Discrimination Act, Part M of the Building Regulations (section 5.5Provision of Toilet Accommodation) states the requirement that toilet accommodation must be suitable for disabled people as well as other people who use public buildings.

PRIME MINISTER

Ministers: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 10 November 2008,  Official Report, column 823W, on Ministers: official residences, what plans he has to bring forward proposals to repeal those provisions of the Greater London Highways and Road Traffic (Various Provisions) Order 2000 which exempt South Eaton Place from standard parking controls.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	62 South Eaton Place is protected as part of the Whitehall security zone because it was my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett's) place of residence during his time as Home Secretary. In February 2008, Westminster city council submitted an application to the Department for Transport to have the Whitehall security zone reduced to Whitehall and the streets leading from it. The Metropolitan Police Service have now agreed with Westminster's application to reduce the security zone. When the Department receives a formal request to amend the Greater London Highways and Road Traffic (Various Provisions) Order 2000 it will do so.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

AWE Aldermaston

David Anderson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform for what reason the Government decided to sell the remaining portion of its stake in AWE Aldermaston; and what sum it received from the sale.

Patrick McFadden: The Government have not sold any of their stake in the Atomic Weapons Establishment itself. All Atomic Weapons Establishment sites and assets remain in Government ownership, as they have done since the Atomic Weapons Establishment was first contractorised in 1993. What happened on 17 December was that BNFL reached agreement to sell its one-third share in AWE Management Limited (AWEML) to Jacobs Engineering Group subject to clearance under EU merger control requirements. AWEML is the consortium of BNFL, Serco and Lockheed Martin that has the 25 year contract with MOD to manage and operate the Atomic Weapons Establishment on MOD's behalf. The sale of the one-third share arose as a result of the dismantling of BNFL and the terms remain confidential between the parties.
	Further details of the sale and the nature of AWEML's relationship with AWE plc are given in the written statements that I gave to the House on 12 January this year,  Official Report, column 1WS and my right hon. Friend, the previous Secretary of State gave to the House on 16 July 2007,  Official Report, column 1WS, respectively.

Broadband Stakeholders Group

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what  (a) administrative and  (b) financial support his Department has provided for the Broadband Stakeholders Group since it was established.

Patrick McFadden: This Department contributes to the overall costs of the Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG) with the remaining costs being provided by public sector membership subscriptions and support from Intellect. The Government's contribution totalled approximately 820,000 over the last five and a half years and the annual percentage contribution from Government has been reduced during this time. The support is for operational and some specific project costs.
	This Department does not provide administrative support to the BSG but has representation on the BSG Executive Committee.
	The BSG helps advise the Government on Broadband issues of the day and provides an Industry/Government forum for exploring issues relating to the knowledge based economy, and utilisation of digital technologies.

Caio Review

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the  (a) total and  (b) staffing cost of the Caio Review was.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 14 January 2009
	 The total cost of the Caio Review was approximately 119,500 for the six month period of the review; and includes staffing costs totalling approximately 113,000.
	The Government will be responding to the review in due course.

Charities

Bob Spink: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to which  (a) charities and  (b) voluntary organisations his Department has provided funding in the last five years; and how much funding was provided to each.

Patrick McFadden: The Department does not generally make charitable donations but may have given grants to charitable bodies through a number of our programmes, but the status of the organisations are not recorded. The Department, however, does provide grant in aid for operating purposes to the following organisations that are registered as charities. The organisations and amounts are as follows:
	
		
			   million 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Citizen Advice 23,855 23,855 21,470 21,470 21,470 
			 Citizen Advice Scotland 3,240 3,240 2,916 3,016 3,389

Departmental Languages

Philip Hammond: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) civil servants in his Department received coaching in a foreign language in the last 12 months; what expenditure his Department incurred in providing such coaching; and in what languages such coaching was provided.

Patrick McFadden: Based on business demand, there are 22 civil servants in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform receiving language training from our preferred supplier. There are no Ministers receiving departmentally-funded language training.
	The total expenditure for 2008 was 13,451.43. Languages undertaken were French, German, Spanish, Polish and Mandarin.

Departmental Marketing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department has spent on advertising in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: Central financial records indicate that spending by this Department on advertising in the last financial year was 2,778,400.

Departmental Sick Leave

Robert Wilson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many working days have been lost due to sickness amongst employees for which his Department is and its predecessor department was responsible for each year since 1997.

Patrick McFadden: Cabinet Office has introduced a revised format for reporting sickness absence statistics across the civil service. The new format was introduced at the end of March 2008 and the first report covers the calendar year 2007. It indicates 6.1 average working days lost per employee due to sickness.
	Sickness absence data for the Department's predecessor, the Department of Trade and Industry, for 2006-07, 2005, 2004 and 2003, including the average number of days taken as sick leave, are published on the public civil service website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/sickness.asp
	along with data for other Departments and agencies.
	Earlier sickness data are not readily available and the cost of producing these would be disproportionate to the benefit to be derived.

Departmental Telephone Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what use  (a) his Department and  (b) service providers under contract to his Department make of (i) 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers and (ii) revenue-sharing telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; for which services such numbers are used; what prefixes are used for revenue-sharing numbers; how much revenue has accrued from revenue-sharing numbers in each of the last five years; what consideration his Department has given to introducing 03-prefixed telephone numbers for calls to all such services; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: From the central records that are available, (i) there are seven 0845 telephone numbers services administered by the Department for public use. These are
	0845 015 0010: BERR Publications Orderline
	0845 015 0020: BERR Publications Orderline (Fax)
	0845 015 0030: BERR Publications Orderline (Minicom)
	0845 019 0001: Personnel Training Services Consortium
	0845 600 0678: National Minimum Wage
	0845 600 9006: Business Link Helpline
	0845 955 5105: Employment Agency Standards.
	The Department does not operate any revenue-sharing numbers. No records are held to show if the Department has ever used or benefited financially from revenue-sharing numbers in the past five years.
	No telephone information is available from BERR's central records on the use of 0844/5 and revenue-sharing numbers by its contracted service providers
	The Department has no immediate plans to use 03 prefixed numbers.

Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate: Manpower

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will increase the number of Employment Agency Standards inspectors and helpline staff; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: The Department has recently doubled the number of Employment Agency Standards inspectors. There has been no increase in the number of helpline/intelligence staff. There are no plans to make further changes in the immediate future.

It's Your Call Road Show

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to his Department's press release of 18 November 2008, what the budget is for the It's Your Call Road Show; when the road show will  (a) commence and  (b) conclude; which are the 28 towns and cities it will visit; and what were the criteria by which those locations were selected.

Patrick McFadden: The budget for the 'Its Your Call' road show is 250,000. The road show was launched on 18 November and commenced in Cardiff on 19 November, it will conclude on 7 February 2009. During this time the road show is visiting; Cardiff, Bristol, Newport, Swansea, Stirling, Kilmarnock, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Huddersfield, Sheffield, Norwich, Peterborough, Leicester, Derby, Liverpool, Blackburn, Manchester, Coventry, Nottingham, Birmingham, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, Sunderland, London, Portsmouth and Plymouth. We have chosen locations which have a large number of low paid workers as we want to reach as many people as possible who could be affected by the minimum wage.

Post Offices: Churches

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post office services are accommodated in church buildings; and where each is located.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to my hon. Friend.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Richard Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate Post Office Ltd. has made of the savings from recent post office branch closures.

Patrick McFadden: Post Office Ltd. is forecasting annual savings of 45 million from post office closures implemented under its Network Change Programme, as part of a wider programme of cost reductions.

Post Offices: Closures

Richard Taylor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent on the consultation on the recent round of Post Office branch closures.

Patrick McFadden: This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, managing director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Proof of Identity: Internet

Margaret Moran: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps he is taking to ensure age verification online by e-tailers.

Alan Campbell: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government believe the existing legislation relating to consumer protection by age verification is sufficient as these regulations regarding age appropriate goods apply online as they do offline. We expect online and offline retailers to take appropriate measures to ensure that age-restricted goods are not made available to people under the relevant age.

Public Bodies: Billing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2009 to Question 244582, when he expects the first complete figures on performance in making payments to suppliers within 10 days to be available.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 19 January 2009
	 Government Departments will report performance against the new 10-day payment target in their annual reports, following the established procedure for reporting 30-day payment performance.
	Achieving the new 10-day target requires changes in systems, guidance and behaviour in both departmental and supplier systems. It is therefore important that we monitor initial progress and I have asked Departments to collect interim data for the months of November and December and then for the quarter ending March 2009. I expect these data to be available at the end of January 2009 and by the end of April 2009 respectively.

Regional Development Agencies

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the operating costs were for each regional development agency in England in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) July 2008,  (d) August 2008,  (e) September 2008 and  (f) October 2008; and what he assesses the effect on for the economy was of the operation of the regional development agencies.

Patrick McFadden: Operating costs are defined as staffing plus administration costs. The table shows the operating costs for each Regional Development Agency (RDA) for 2006-07 and 2007-08. However, the totals provided for July, August, September and October 2008 are not audited management account figures and therefore some elements included in the statutory accounts such as depreciation charges are excluded from the sums presented.
	In relation to the question on benefits to the economy from RDAs operations; the Government have commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to conduct an independent evaluation of the economic impact of RDAs. Their report has just been completed and I will be presenting it to the House shortly.
	
		
			  Total operating costs 
			   million 
			 2008-09( 1) 
			  RDA  2006-07  2007-08  July  August  September  October 
			 AWM 21.3 30.5 2.2 2.3 2.2 2.0 
			 EEDA 15.9 17.1 1.6 1.6 1.3 1.1 
			 EMDA 16.4 17.6 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 
			 LDA 45.7 43.8 4.1 3.2 3.7 3.6 
			 NWDA 38.8 34.3 2.8 4.2 3.1 3.0 
			 ONE 24.8 24.7 1.9 2.3 2.3 2.5 
			 SEEDA 24.3 26.1 1.8 3.2 1.8 2.3 
			 SWRDA 23.1 24.4 2.2 2.3 1.5 1.9 
			 YF 23.7 (2)28.7 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.8 
			 (1) Figures for 2008-09 have not been audited. (2) This figure includes 3,178,000 of expenditure incurred by subsidiaries. Costs incurred by subsidiaries of YF were consolidated into the Agency's accounts in 2007-08 for the first time. In 2006-07 costs incurred by subsidiaries were not included with those of YF. For comparison purposes, the subsidiaries cost for 2006-07 was 3,616,000.

Regional Planning and Development

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what functions regional development agencies have to promote economic competition between regions; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 19 January 2009
	Regional development agencies have the primary purpose of furthering economic development and regeneration in their areas. Ministers have made it clear to RDAs that in rebalancing national and regional efforts, they expect RDAs to avoid duplication and competition among themselves.
	There has been, at times, perceived competition for example on Inward Investment projects. However, the UK economy is the winner from such investments in whatever region of the UK that brings investment and new jobs as well as safeguarding existing jobs.

Royal Mail

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will establish a mechanism to ensure that the private sector partner for Royal Mail may never take a majority stake; what new technology will be put in place across Royal Mail; what the timetable for the tender process will be; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: My noble Friend, the Secretary of State said in his statement on 16 December 2008 that his Department will want to study the report in detail and he would respond with a full statement of Government policy in the early part of next year. He was clear that the proposed partnership is on a minority basis and the Government have a commitment to keep Royal Mail publicly owned.
	What technology is rolled out across Royal Mail is a matter for the company's management and I have asked Adam Crozier to respond direct to my hon. Friend on this. I will ensure that copies of his reply are in the Libraries of the House.
	The detailed process, and timetable for engaging with those interested in entering into a partnership with Royal Mail, is still being developed but it is expected to commence early this year.

Royal Mail: Pay

Colin Burgon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what remuneration package the Chairman of Royal Mail received in respect of the financial year 2007-08; and how many days he worked as Chairman of the Board in 2007-08.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 15 January 2009
	In 2007-08, Allan Leighton received 200,000 in remuneration for working his contractual two-day week obligation to Royal Mail, which he fulfilled.

Small Businesses: North West

Mark Hunter: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small to medium-sized enterprises were registered in  (a) the North West,  (b) Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council area and  (c) Cheadle constituency in each year since 1997.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 18 December 2008
	 Estimates of the number of registered small to medium-sized enterprises, in each of the last five years, are not available below the regional level.
	Only data for businesses of all sizes registered for VAT are published by BERR. It is estimated that the majority (97.9 per cent.) of these will be small (with fewer than 50 employees) and a further 1.7 per cent. will be medium-sized (with 50-249 employees).
	The number of businesses registered for VAT in Stockport metropolitan borough, Cheadle and the North West for the start of 1997 to the start of 2008 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Start of year stock of VAT-registered businesses, 1997-2008 
			  Start of year  Cheadle parliamentary constituency  Stockport  North West region 
			 1997 2,475 7,840 160,165 
			 1998 2,525 7,935 162,685 
			 1999 2,590 8,095 165,080 
			 2000 2,615 8,130 167,085 
			 2001 2,630 8,315 169,040 
			 2002 2,645 8,370 170,730 
			 2003 2,710 8,485 172,650 
			 2004 2,755 8,665 176,900 
			 2005 2,790 8,830 180,355 
			 2006 2,860 9,020 184,725 
			 2007 2,910 9,165 188,735 
			 2008 3,015 9,435 194,695 
			  Source: BERR National Statistics publication Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007 available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm 
		
	
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in Stockport metropolitan borough rose from 7,840 at the start of 1997 to 9,435 at the start of 2008a rise of 20 per cent.
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in Cheadle rose from 2,475 at the start of 1997 to 3,015 at the start of 2008a rise of 22 per cent.
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in the North West rose from 160,165 at the start of 1997 to 194,695 at the start of 2008a rise of 22 per cent.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was 64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Small Businesses: North West

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many small and medium-sized enterprises were registered in  (a) Stockport Metropolitan Borough,  (b) Greater Manchester and  (c) the North West in each of the last five years.

Ian Pearson: Estimates of the number of registered small to medium-sized enterprise, in each of the last five years, are not available below the regional level.
	Only data for businesses of all sizes registered for VAT are published by BERR. It is estimated that the majority (97.9 per cent.) of these will be small (with fewer than 50 employees) and a further 1.7 per cent. will be medium-sized (with 50 to 249 employees).
	The number of businesses registered for VAT in Stockport metropolitan borough, Greater Manchester and the north-west for the start of 2004 to the start of 2008 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Start of year stock of VAT-registered businesses, 2004-08 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Stockport Metropolitan Borough 8,665 8,830 9,020 9,165 9,435 
			 Greater Manchester 64,665 65,745 67,350 68,830 70,800 
			 The North West 176,900 180,355 184,725 188,735 194,695 
			  Source: BERR National Statistics publication 'Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations 2007' available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm 
		
	
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in Stockport metropolitan borough rose from 8,665 at the start of 2004 to 9,435 at the start of 2008a rise of 9 per cent.
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in Greater Manchester rose from 64,665 at the start of 2004 to 70,800 at the start of 2008a rise of 9 per cent.
	The number of VAT-registered businesses in the north-west rose from 176,900 at the start of 2004 to 194,695 at the start of 2008a rise of 10 per cent.
	VAT registrations do not capture all business activity. Businesses are unlikely to be registered if they fall below the compulsory VAT threshold, which was 64,000 at the start of 2007. Only 1.96 million out of 4.7 million UK enterprises (42 per cent.) were registered for VAT at the start of 2007.

Small Businesses: Procurement

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the cost of running the Supply2.gov.uk website in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and what he estimates this cost to be in 2008-09.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 12 January 2009
	The supply2.gov.uk site is operated under a concession type contract with the supplier carrying the commercial risk. The initial set up cost borne by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2006 was 120,000. In 2008-09 BERR funded the provision of a free trial for businesses which ran between 1 May and 31 July 2008, at a cost of 110,310 (ex VAT). No other payments have been made in relation to the portal.

Small Businesses: Procurement

Justine Greening: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many businesses were registered with Supply2.gov.uk in each month since June 2006; and how many he expects to register in each month to March 2009.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 12 January 2009
	 No figures are available for business registrations on supply2.gov.uk. The number of supplier user registrations to November 2008 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of supplier user registrations 
			 June 2006 3,643 
			 July 2006 5,556 
			 August 2006 3,793 
			 September 2006 3,544 
			 October 2006 4,056 
			 November 2006 2,954 
			 December 2006 2,189 
			 January 2007 2,708 
			 February 2007 3,064 
			 March 2007 2,996 
			 April 2007 2,650 
			 May 2007 2,284 
			 June 2007 2,367 
			 July 2007 2,461 
			 August 2007 2,404 
			 September 2007 2,025 
			 October 2007 3,055 
			 November 2007 2,426 
			 December 2007 2,289 
			 January 2008 3,342 
			 February 2008 3,158 
			 March 2008 2,891 
			 April 2008 3,160 
			 May 2008 5,821 
			 June 2008 4,079 
			 July 08 12,642 
			 August 08 3,657 
			 September 08 4,063 
			 October 08 4,555 
			 November 08 4,257 
		
	
	3,400 users are projected to register in each month between December 2008 and March 2009.

Trade Unions

Stephen Hesford: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many trade union members there are in the UK; and in which 10 industries the proportion of employees who are union members is lowest.

Patrick McFadden: In 2007, the period for when latest data are available, the number of employees who were trade union members in the United Kingdom was approximately seven million.
	In terms of the proportions, 28.0 per cent. of all employees were union members in the United Kingdom. The proportion of trade union members, broken down by the main industry groups and ranked from lowest to highest, is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Trade union density of UK employees( 1)  by industry, 2007 
			  Industry  Percentage 
			 Hotels and restaurants 4.9 
			 Agriculture, forestry and fishing 7.9 
			 Real estate and business services 10.2 
			 Wholesale, retail and motor trade 11.3 
			 Construction 15.5 
			 Other services 18.6 
			 Manufacturing 21.8 
			 Financial Intermediation 22.3 
			 Mining and quarrying 23.1 
			 Transport, storage and communication 40.1 
			 Health and social work 43.4 
			 Electricity, gas and water supply 45.6 
			 Education 55.3 
			 Public administration and defence 56.8 
			 (1) Excludes members of the armed forces.  Source: Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics

Working Hours: EU Law

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the implications of the European Parliament's vote on the Working Time Directive on 17 December 2008 for his Department's policy on the Directive.

Patrick McFadden: The UK is one of 14 member states that enables workers to opt-out of the maximum 48-hour working week, should they wish to do so. This flexibility is used by over three million employees in the UK who choose to work longer hours. Loss of this opt-out would therefore cost the UK billions both in costs to industry and lost earnings. As a result, it could also only have a negative impact on overall employment levels.
	The Government remain committed to fight for the continuation of this important flexibility and will be calling on the European Council to reject the damaging amendments on the Working Time Common Position adopted by the European Parliament.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Age

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average age of  (a) men and  (b) women resident in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England was at the latest date for which information is available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question on what the average age is of (a) men and (b) women resident in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England at the latest date for which data is available. (247600)
	The median age of the resident male and female population in North Yorkshire England was 42 years and 45 years respectively, and the median age of the male and female population in England was 38 and 40 years respectively. These data are based on mid-2007 population estimates which are the latest available.

Alcoholic Drinks: Prices

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average change in prices was for  (a) beer and  (b) wines and spirits on (i) sales and (ii) off sales in real terms in each year since 1987; and what the change in average weekly earnings was between each of those years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average change in prices was for (a) beer and (b) wines and spirits on (i) sales and (ii) off sales in real terms in each year since 1987; and what the change in average weekly earnings was between each of those years. (246754)
	The table below shows the annual percentage changes for the all items retail prices index and the components for beer and wines and spirits. The beer and wines and spirits data are available from 1988.
	
		
			  Retail Prices Index and components: annual percentage change 
			Beer  Wine and spirits 
			   Total RPI  Total  On sales  Off sales  Total  On sales  Off sales 
			 1987 4.2   
			 1988 4.9 6.1 6.3 4.0 3.6 5.2 2.5 
			 1989 7.8 6.4 6.8 4.2 4.5 5.4 3.7 
			 1990 9.5 10.0 10.4 6.8 9.2 9.8 8.7 
			 1991 5.9 12.8 13.1 10.5 11.8 12.4 11.4 
			 1992 3.7 6.7 7.1 5.0 6.0 6.7 5.4 
			 1993 1.6 5.1 5.4 3.4 3.4 4.6 2.7 
			 1994 2.4 3.1 3.8 -1.3 1.6 3.3 0.6 
			 1995 3.5 4.2 4.4 2.6 3.1 5.0 2.2 
			 1996 2.4 3.5 3.5 3.3 1.9 2.8 1.5 
			 1997 3.1 3.7 3.9 3.0 1.4 3.3 0.3 
			 1998 3.4 4.0 4.4 2.5 2.5 3.9 1.7 
			 1999 1.5 3.2 3.6 1.5 1.7 3.2 0.8 
			 2000 3.0 2.1 2.4 0.9 0.9 2.7 -0.4 
			 2001 1.8 2.3 2.7 0.5 1.8 3.1 0.7 
			 2002 1.7 2.3 2.8 -0.6 2.2 3.6 0.7 
			 2003 2.9 2.2 3.0 -1.8 2.1 3.3 0.3 
			 2004 3.0 2.0 2.9 -2.7 1.9 2.5 0.8 
			 2005 2.8 2.3 3.4 -3.4 1.5 2.5 0.4 
			 2006 3.2 2.9 3.4 -0.3 1.9 3.0 0.6 
			 2007 4.3 3.5 3.9 0.7 2.4 3.4 1.2 
		
	
	Details of percentage change in average earnings over the period 1987 to 2007 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Average Earnings IndexGB 
			  Annual averages  Annual percentage change 
			 1987 7.7 
			 1988 8.7 
			 1989 9.2 
			 1990 9.8 
			 1991 7.6 
			 1992 5.9 
			 1993 2.9 
			 1994 3.7 
			 1995 3.1 
			 1996 3.6 
			 1997 4.2 
			 1998 5.2 
			 1999 4.8 
			 2000 4.5 
			 2001 4.4 
			 2002 3.5 
			 2003 3.3 
			 2004 4.5 
			 2005 4.0 
			 2006 4.1 
			 2007 4.0

Cancer: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate the Office of National Statistics has made of the number of patients diagnosed with cancer in each Westminster constituency in Scotland in  (a) 2003,  (b) 2004,  (c) 2005,  (d) 2006 and  (e) 2007, broken down by cancer type.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what estimate the Office for National Statistics has made of the number of patients diagnosed with cancer in each Westminster constituency in Scotland in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005, (d) 2006 and (e) 2007, broken down by cancer type.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2005 for Scotland. Table 1 shows the number of patients diagnosed with the most common cancers (colorectal, lung, breast and prostate) in each Westminster constituency in Scotland in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, and (c) 2005. Further statistics on cancer in Scotland are available at the following website:
	www.isdscotland.org/cancer.
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of colorectal, lung, breast and prostate cancer( 1) , persons: parliamentary constituency( 2 ) in Scotland, 2003 to 2005 
			   Colorectal  Lung  Breast  Prostate 
			  Constituency of residence  2003  2004  2005  2003  2004  2005  2003  2004  2005  2003  2004  2005 
			 Aberdeen North 60 56 63 97 92 83 63 62 55 39 40 47 
			 Aberdeen South 63 61 54 65 65 67 66 58 82 43 46 26 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 41 51 46 69 74 82 65 45 59 20 28 22 
			 Angus 61 84 52 72 95 70 46 52 104 32 31 26 
			 Argyll and Bute 73 70 79 82 81 73 123 72 61 50 40 45 
			 Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 81 83 76 85 86 83 66 96 58 65 86 59 
			 Banff and Buchan 51 63 54 52 71 66 66 68 65 33 48 38 
			 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 81 82 80 73 73 64 55 53 144 65 63 57 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 34 52 39 50 56 42 57 63 34 50 42 50 
			 Central Ayrshire 62 58 65 88 93 69 73 64 68 56 59 36 
			 Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 49 55 43 99 85 84 58 57 69 24 21 26 
			 Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 50 51 58 91 79 79 86 42 51 23 47 28 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 71 94 80 95 88 109 81 90 110 55 48 61 
			 Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 63 65 57 79 74 84 85 63 79 39 55 42 
			 Dundee East 64 77 69 89 89 82 80 74 75 41 35 30 
			 Dundee West 51 61 57 88 89 88 55 61 58 30 38 34 
			 Dunfermline and West Fife 56 58 40 43 68 65 63 76 61 47 39 53 
			 East Dunbartonshire 72 53 60 48 58 55' 76 92 63 53 65 51 
			 East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 65 58 55 67 98 90 66 106 54 22 59 45 
			 East Lothian 67 82 72 69 90 92 75 52 74 62 52 62 
			 East Renfrewshire 47 53 56 65 69 76 73 67 89 52 47 35 
			 Edinburgh East 52 65 54 73 87 77 63 53 66 46 24 41 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 51 58 46 61 66 62 56 58 88 47 35 46 
			 Edinburgh South 45 55 52 48 60 52 64 73 45 36 49 62 
			 Edinburgh South West 53 57 55 69 80 80 83 69 48 44 39 51 
			 Edinburgh West 66 66 82 54 94 72 74 57 101 69 69 81 
			 Falkirk 60 60 51 93 83 101 62 126 46 79 64 65 
			 Glasgow Central 59 45 35 100 103 91 37 44 40 20 24 21 
			 Glasgow East 64 65 62 131 143 125 62 67 71 31 39 44 
			 Glasgow North 33 34 37 75 73 59 36 42 42 29 20 21 
			 Glasgow North East 56 64 63 130 154 133 54 61 66 41 41 29 
			 Glasgow North West 60 52 60 88 104 100 74 66 74 31 52 35 
			 Glasgow South 57 47 48 97 80 102 60 78 57 36 34 35 
			 Glasgow South West 48 59 65 118 104 117 60 54 52 36 31 33 
			 Glenrothes 55 64 52 94 91 75 84 51 63 33 36 43 
			 Gordon 84 66 65 47 57 55 66 56 60 38 42 40 
			 Inverclyde 67 57 49 109 98 90 64 106 46 43 58 35 
			 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 75 62 61 64 67 65 58 78 84 59 55 68 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 78 57 64 98 68 91 74 60 60 46 49 45 
			 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 64 65 63 96 93 108 110 46 59 50 49 52 
			 Lanark and Hamilton East 71 64 57 78 81 75 85 91 65 39 49 46 
			 Linlithgow and East Falkirk 70 62 68 98 92 85 72 117 87 83 73 76 
			 Livingston 40 48 65 83 94 80 64 94 73 50 66 66 
			 Midlothian 54 39 53 73 67 90 52 51 121 40 47 34 
			 Moray 72 58 62 56 80 68 47 57 88 44 49 44 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 48 65 65 95 107 82 45 50 111 20 32 19 
			 Na h-Eileanan an Iar 21 26 38 25 20 28 10 18 29 25 11 18 
			 North Ayrshire and Arran 69 71 81 92 98 99 55 87 95 57 67 46 
			 North East Fife 60 64 67 67 50 63 85 58 54 47 51 29 
			 Ochil and South Perthshire 75 74 74 80 80 86 68 101 69 59 47 68 
			 Orkney and Shetland 31 35 36 33 25 23 44 37 22 27 28 29 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 40 55 61 73 82 89 57 64 75 27 31 26 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire South 58 60 51 77 82 87 73 65 67 22 20 24 
			 Perth and North Perthshire 84 70 64 65 78 63 77 101 69 50 68 42 
			 Ross, Skye and Lochaber 28 46 54 39 43 48 60 38 54 45 36 32 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 57 55 73 93 99 105 58 90 65 38 56 38 
			 Stirling 54 58 67 62 68 66 59 63 93 54 64 43 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 68 46 51 41 46 41 95 60 56 33 31 35 
			 West Dunbartonshire 58 60 46 113 90 93 85 54 54 36 37 40 
			 (1) Colorectal cancer is coded to C18-C20, lung cancer is coded to C33-C34, breast cancer is coded to C50, prostate cancer is coded to C61 in the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). (2) Based on boundaries as of 2007.  Source: Scottish Cancer Registry

Children: Ethnic Groups

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many children in  (a) Vale of York constituency and  (b) England were of (i) white, (ii) Pakistani or Bangladeshi and (iii) black non-Caribbean ethnicity in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many children in (a) the Vale of York and (b) England were of (i) white, (ii) Pakistani or Bangladeshi and (iii) black non-Caribbean ethnicity in the latest period for which figures are available. (247610)
	The information that is available is given in the table attached. The figures in the table are estimates from the Annual Population Survey (APS) for the twelve month period July 2007 to June 2008.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to sampling error and a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Number of children living within Vale of York parliamentary constituency and England by ethnic grouping and age band. Annual Population Survey, July 2007 to June 2008 
			  Thousands 
			   0-15  16-17  18-19 
			  Vale of York
			 Black (excluding Caribbean) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Pakistani (1) (1) (1) 
			 Bangladeshi (1) (1) (1) 
			 White (British) 15 2 1 
			 Other White (1) (1) (1) 
			 
			  England
			 Black (excluding Caribbean) 285 25 28 
			 Pakistani 317 32 35 
			 Bangladeshi 117 12 9 
			 White (British) 7,605 1,104 1,078 
			 Other White 311 36 43 
			 (1) Sample size too small for reliable estimate.  Notes: 1. As with any sample survey, estimates from the Annual Population Survey are subject to sampling error and a margin of uncertainty.  2. Estimates are weighted to the population estimates published by ONS in 2007.  Source:  Annual Population Survey.

Elderly

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people over  (a) 60 and  (b) 80 years of age there were in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England in each year since 2005.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated January 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question on how many people over (a) 60 and (b) 80 years of age there were in (i) North Yorkshire and (ii) England in each year since 2005. (247599)
	The table below shows the estimated mid-year resident population of people over 60 and 80 years of age in North Yorkshire and England for 2006 and 2007. The latest population estimates available are for mid-2007.
	
		
			  Mid-year population estimates, 2006 and 2007 
			  Thousand 
			   Age-group 
			   Over 60  Over 80 
			  Mid-2006   
			 North Yorkshire 141 28 
			 England 10,200 1,998 
			
			  Mid-2007   
			 North Yorkshire 144 28 
			 England 10,354 2,041 
			  Source:  Office for National Statistics.

JUSTICE

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of crimes involving cruelty to animals in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of persons found guilty at all courts for offences involving animal cruelty, in England and Wales from 1997 to 2007 (Latest available) are in the following table.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty at all courts of animal cruelty offences( 1) , England and Wales, 1997 to 2007( 2,)( )( 3) 
			   Number 
			 1997 1,041 
			 1998 1,051 
			 1999 945 
			 2000 946 
			 2001 826 
			 2002 847 
			 2003 842 
			 2004 858 
			 2005 928 
			 2006 848 
			 2007 968 
			 (1) The offences of animal cruelty are covered by the following acts; The Protection of Animals Act 1911, Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, Performing Animals (Regulations) Act 1926, Protection of Animals Act 1934, Docking and Nicking of Horses Act 1949, Pet Animals Act 1951, Cockfighting Act 1952, Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954, Animal Health Act 1981, Slaughterhouses Act 1974, Abandonment of Animals Act 1960, Animal and Animal Products (Imports Export) Regulations 1998, Animals (Cruel Poisons ) Act 1962, Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, Riding Establishments Acts 1964 and 1970, Slaughter of Poultry Act 1967, Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968, Badgers Act 1973, Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 2000, the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Act 2000 and the Animal Welfare Act 2006. (2) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Coroners and Justice Bill 2008-09

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proposals he has to ensure security of personal data under legislative proposals for increased data sharing in the Coroners and Justice Bill.

Michael Wills: All Government Departments must comply with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) when sharing personal data and must also meet the mandatory requirements on holding personal information, as set out in the Cabinet Office's Data Handling Review.
	Under the power contained in Part 8 of the Coroners and Justice Bill, the Government proposes that all information-sharing orders must be necessary to achieve a specified purpose, proportionate and strike a fair balance between the public interest and the rights of the individual to privacy. Ministers who wish to make an information-sharing order will need to prepare a privacy impact assessment; invite representations from any person affected by it and take these representations into account; and give the Information Commissioner the opportunity to report independently on the proposal. Any information-sharing order will be subject to affirmative resolution by both Houses of Parliament.
	In addition to the Information Commissioner's current powers to assess a data controller's compliance under the DPA, the Coroners and Justice Bill also proposes to create a new compulsory assessment for public bodies.

Coroners: Armed Forces

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for legal aid have been made in order to secure legal representation at the inquest into the deaths of armed forces personnel since January 2003; and how many such applications have been granted.

Shahid Malik: Applications for exceptional funding are made to the Legal Services Commission (LSC), the independent body which administers the legal aid scheme, in the first instance. Exceptional funding legal aid can be granted by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) on the recommendation of the LSC for representation at inquests, if the exceptional funding criteria are met.
	The LSC does not break down the number of applications it receives for representation at inquests by category of inquest.
	The MoJ has received applications relating to 16 military inquests since January 2003 and has granted funding for all 16 inquests.

Courts: Per Capita Costs

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average cost per prisoner per night of housing a prisoner in a court cell was in each of the last 12 months.

Jack Straw: NOMS paid contractors standby and activation costs to staff court cells in eight courts in England and Wales in February 2008 only. The average payment to contractors was 158 per night for each court cell that was available for use. The cost does not include marginal costs such as medical care or utilities and cannot be broken down by month.

Dangerous Dogs: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of persons found guilty of offences under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act in England and Wales from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) are in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty at all courts of offences under the 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act, England and Wales, 1997 to 2007( 1,2) 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Found guilty 241 406 442 459 522 517 531 582 625 668 782 
			 (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Dangerous Driving: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Data on the number of persons found guilty at all courts for causing death by dangerous driving from 1997 to 2007 (latest available) are given in the following table.
	The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	
		
			  The number of persons found guilty at all courts for causing death by dangerous driving( 1) , 1997 to 2007( 2,3, ) England and Wales 
			   Number 
			 1997 205 
			 1998 203 
			 1999 173 
			 2000 193 
			 2001 227 
			 2002 228 
			 2003 233 
			 2004 241 
			 2005 255 
			 2006 223 
			 2007 233 
			 (1) Section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, as added by section 1 of the Road Traffic Act 1991. (2) These data are on the principal offence basis. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Office for Criminal Justice ReformEvidence and Analysis Unit.

Departmental Surveys

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department's central media and communication unit has spent on public surveys since its inception.

Michael Wills: Since the creation of the Ministry of Justice in May 2007, the central media and communication unit of the department has spent a total of 31,200 on public surveys.

Drugs: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted of drug offences in each year since 1997.

Maria Eagle: Information on the number of persons found guilty at all courts for drug offences in England and Wales, 1997 to 2007 are contained in the following table.
	These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the offence selected is the one for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty at all courts for drug offences in England and Wales, 1997 to 2007( 1, 2, 3) 
			  Drug Offence Group 
			   Found guilty 
			 1997 40,666 
			 1998 48,821 
			 1999 48,711 
			 2000 44,621 
			 2001 45,621 
			 2002 49,036 
			 2003 51,162 
			 2004 39,197 
			 2005 39,090 
			 2006 39,582 
			 2007 44,565 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts, and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Staffordshire police force were only able to supply a sample of data for magistrates courts proceedings covering one full week in each quarter for 2000. Estimates based on this sample are included in the figures, as they are considered sufficiently robust at this high level of analysis.  Source: OCJR, E and A: Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Evidence and Analysis Unit.

Drugs: Crime

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) community sentences, including drug treatment and testing orders and drug rehabilitation referrals,  (b) fines,  (c) custodial sentences and  (d) cautions were issued for drug dealing offences relating to each type of drug in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of persons issued with community sentences( 1) , fines, custodial sentences and cautions for drug dealing offences( 2)  relating to each type of drug 2003-07 
			   Type of sentence 
			  Year/type of drug  Fine  Community sentence  Suspended sentence  Immediate custody  Caution 
			  2003  
			 Cocaine 24 115 23 973 56 
			 Heroin 19 401 36 1,979 39 
			 LSD 0 3 0 4 4 
			 MDMA 34 285 28 588 62 
			 Crack 4 53 7 375 15 
			 Methadone 1 11 0 10 8 
			 Other class A 11 133 15 486 22 
			 Amphetamine 12 92 17 146 20 
			 Other class B 7 52 63 55 28 
			 Cannabis 144 980 4 697 570 
			 Anabolic Steroid 1 1 1 2 1 
			 Other class C 6 35 2 17 20 
			 Ketamine(3) * * * * * 
			 Methylamphetamine(4) * * * * * 
			 GHB 0 0 0 0 0 
			  2004  
			 Cocaine 17 166 12 1,029 66 
			 Heroin 10 404 31 2,077 48 
			 LSD 1 0 0 9 0 
			 MDMA 15 232 16 494 59 
			 Crack 3 71 4 386 19 
			 Methadone 4 10 1 10 10 
			 Other class A 7 105 6 546 29 
			 Amphetamine 15 107 19 156 29 
			 Other class B 4 40 61 46 14 
			 Cannabis 122 821 2 576 555 
			 Anabolic Steroid 0 5 0 4 4 
			 Other class C 33 189 19 127 103 
			 Ketamine * * * * * 
			 Methylamphetamine * * * * * 
			 GHB 0 0 0 0 0 
			   
			  2005  
			 Cocaine 28 223 41 1,064 73 
			 Heroin 10 526 48 1,750 65 
			 LSD 0 7 1 9 1 
			 MDMA 15 224 32 433 72 
			 Crack 8 93 17 444 31 
			 Methadone 1 10 4 9 11 
			 Other class A 12 184 20 494 42 
			 Amphetamine 13 129 20 153 26 
			 Other class B 3 15 72 27 8 
			 Cannabis 87 685 3 407 635 
			 Anabolic Steroid 0 2 0 4 3 
			 Other class C 47 360 53 319 90 
			 Ketamine * * * * * 
			 Methylamphetamine * * * * * 
			 GHB 0 0 0 0 1 
			   
			  2006  
			 Cocaine 21 163 141 1,132 132 
			 Heroin 8 365 205 1,657 56 
			 LSD 0 1 4 4 7 
			 MDMA 24 124 89 337 87 
			 Crack 7 82 40 433 30 
			 Methadone 1 7 5 9 11 
			 Other class A 6 123 59 484 54 
			 Amphetamine 3 89 77 163 34 
			 Other class B 2 11 271 7 9 
			 Cannabis 50 496 7 341 621 
			 Anabolic Steroid 0 1 1 0 5 
			 Other class C 30 288 256 399 84 
			 Ketamine 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Methylamphetamine * * * * * 
			 GHB 0 0 0 0 1 
			   
			  2007  
			 Cocaine 25 189 260 1,190 146 
			 Heroin 10 288 260 1,706 45 
			 LSD 2 4 2 7 6 
			 MDMA 9 121 169 349 88 
			 Crack 4 74 55 482 23 
			 Methadone 1 7 4 7 10 
			 Other class A 1 103 100 535 54 
			 Amphetamine 10 66 123 148 50 
			 Other class B 2 5 340 17 8 
			 Cannabis 61 460 4 333 553 
			 Anabolic Steroid * 2 1 1 1 
			 Other class C 31 223 332 352 78 
			 Ketamine 3 4 0 0 15 
			 Methylamphetamine 0 0 0 3 1 
			 GHB 0 0 1 0 0 
			 (1) Community licences include drug treatment, testing orders and drug rehabilitation referrals. (2) Drug dealing offences comprise having possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply and supplying or offering to supply a controlled drug. (3) Ketamine drug was made illegal m 2006. (4) Methylamphetamine previously consulted with Amphetamine as class B drug was separately classified as class A drug on 18 January 2007.  Notes: 1. From 1 June 2O00 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and final warnings These figures have been included in the totals 2. The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences wets the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has committed two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. 3. These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Euthanasia: Research

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will commission research on the legal implications of euthanasia.

Jack Straw: We have no plans to commission any such research. The legal position on euthanasia is clear. It is unlawful in this country and anyone alleged to have undertaken it would be open to a charge of murder or manslaughter.

Family Courts

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will bring forward legislative proposals to allow second opinions in the Family Division without the permission of a judge.

Bridget Prentice: There are currently no plans to make legislative changes to allow a party to obtain a second opinion of a medical expert for use in a family case without the court's permission.

Life Imprisonment: Prisoners Release

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2008,  Official Report, column 1018W, on life imprisonment: prisoners release, what period each of the 304 prisoners served in custody before release.

David Hanson: To provide the information requested will require manual checking of two data bases to ensure a fully accurate reply. This information should be available within two weeks. When the information the Member has requested is available, I will write to him, and a copy will placed in the Library of both Houses.

Prison Officers: Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison officers are employed by the Prison Service in England and Wales.

David Hanson: There are 28,608 officers currently employed in the Prison Service in England and Wales. This figure covers all officer grades across both the public and private sector prisons.

Prison Sentences

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders have been given an indeterminate sentence for public protection in each year since the sentence was introduced.

David Hanson: The numbers of receptions into the prison estate in England and Wales in each year since 2005 can be found in the following table.
	
		
			   Indeterminate sentences for public protection 
			 2005 420 
			 2006 1,570 
			 2007 1,747 
			  Note: Indeterminate sentence for public protection came into effect on 5 April 2005. 
		
	
	This information is taken from table 6.17 of the Offender Management Caseload Statistics, 2007, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library and which can also be found at the following weblink:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prison Sentences

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the average minimum tariff for indeterminate sentences for public protection is;
	(2)  how many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences for public protection have been released since its introduction.

David Hanson: The average tariff, or specified part, for those prisoners serving an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment for public protection, as of 15 January 2009, is 2.97 years. This is based on a sample of 4,689 prisoners.
	Since the introduction of indeterminate sentences of imprisonment for public protection, 47 such prisoners serving such sentences have been released during the period up to 15 January 2009. 45 of these have been released by the Parole Board. two were released early by the Secretary of State on compassionate grounds.
	These figures are taken from the Public Protection Unit Database (PPUD) within the National Offender Management Service. As with any large scale recording system, it is subject to possible errors arising from either data entry or processing.

Prisoner Escorts: Prisoner Escapes

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to question 245155 on 12 January 2009, for what offences each of the prisoners listed as having escaped from escort since 1998 had originally been convicted; and how many of them remain unlawfully at large;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer to question 245155, how many offences were committed by offenders who had escaped from custody while unlawfully at large in the last 10 years; and what the offence was in each case.

David Hanson: Data on the original offences committed by the 434 escapees from escort shown in the previous answer could be provided only by a detailed analysis of each prisoner record. This would incur disproportionate cost. Data available for the last four financial years, April 2004 to March 2008, show that 13 prisoners are still unlawfully at large following the 104 escort-related escapes over that period.
	Data on numbers and types of offence that may have been committed by escapees over this period could be provided only by a detailed analysis of each prisoner record which would incur disproportionate cost.

Prisoners

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners are being held in HM prisons.

David Hanson: At the end of November 2008, there were 83,423 prisoners detained in all prison establishments in England and Wales. This information is available from the following website, which is updated monthly:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/populationincustody.htm
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 481W, on prisoners, what assessment he has made of the consequences of the absence of a central record of prisoners maintaining innocence; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) works with prisoners to address their offending behaviour and manage their risk of reoffending on the basis that they have been correctly convicted by the courts. As such, a central record of those who maintain their innocence following conviction would serve no useful purpose.
	It is also open to any person who believes that they have been wrongly convicted to challenge the safety of their convictions through either the Court of Appeal or the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
	Current guidance for Prison Service staff in dealing with prisoners who deny guilt is contained in chapter 7 of (Prison Service Order) PSO 4700 which is available at:
	http://pso.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/pso4700/PSO_4700 _lifer_manual.doc

Prisoners: Appeals

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what records his Department keeps on the appellant status of prisoners; how many prisoners are currently appealing against their sentence; and how many of them are beyond their original or adjusted tariff.

David Hanson: The Ministry of Justice does not maintain a central record of the appellant status of prisoners. Therefore, determining how many serving prisoners are currently appealing against their sentence and then of those how many are beyond their original or adjusted tariff would require a manual checking of records, which could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prisons have been closed in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many prisons spaces have been lost since 1997;
	(3)  how many new prison spaces have become available in each year since 1997;
	(4)  how many new prisons opened in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: Since 1997 only two prisons have closed, HMP Aldington in 1999 and HMP The Weare in 2005.
	It is not possible to say how many prison places have been taken out of use since 1997 as the total number of prison places fluctuates depending on temporary schemes such as refurbishment and changes in use. Prison places may be permanently taken out of use as a result of prison closures or may be decommissioned due to the unsatisfactory state of the accommodation. Where decommissioned, and as part of our ongoing maintenance programme, many of these have been rebuilt and re-opened as new accommodation.
	There are at present five wings/spurs across the estate that are not fit for purpose and are permanently out of use, with a total of around 350 places. This in is in addition to the total of 540 places taken out of use following the closure of the two prisons.
	Despite the loss of these places, since 1997 we have overall increased prison capacity and improved the standard of prison accommodation available in both new and existing prisons. We have opened a total of 10 new prisons (see following table):
	
		
			   Number of new prisons opened 
			 1997 2 
			 1998 1 
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 2 
			 2002 0 
			 2003 0 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 0 
			 2007 1 
			 2008 0 
		
	
	Overall, we have delivered around 21,000 new places since 1997 through building new prisons and expansions at existing sites. The total delivered each year is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Places delivered 
			 1997 4,716 
			 1998 1,222 
			 1999 1,646 
			 2000 640 
			 2001 920 
			 2002 1,780 
			 2003 1,376 
			 2004 2,570 
			 2005 940 
			 2006 900 
			 2007 1,526 
			 2008 2,735

Prisons: Alcoholic Drinks

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to reduce alcohol usage in prisons.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service strategy to reduce supply and demand for drugs includes a comprehensive range of security measures and searching techniques to detect items of contraband including alcohol and prevent smuggling into establishments. There is also a treatment framework to address prisoners' alcohol-related problems, which provides a bench-mark against which prisons can formulate an appropriate local response.
	In order to reduce alcohol usage, prisons deploy a robust and comprehensive range of security measures and searching techniques as part of their individual searching strategies in order to detect items of contraband and prevent their importation into establishments, as set out in the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) National Security Framework (NSF).

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to reduce drug usage in prisons.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service has in place a comprehensive drug strategy for prisons. It has three key elements:
	i. reducing supply, through security measures and drug testing programmes;
	ii. reducing demand, through targeted interventions for low, moderate and severe drug-misusers; and
	iii. establishing effective through-care links to ensure continuity of treatment post-release in order to safeguard the gains made in custody.
	The success of the drug strategy is illustrated by the reduction of drug misuse in prisons, as measured by the random mandatory drug testing (rMDT) programme. The positive rate for MDT has dropped from 24.4 per cent. in 1996-97 to 9.1 per cent. in 2007-08a fall of 63 per cent.

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans there are to increase the number of places on courses for serving prisoners dealing with drugs and alcohol.

David Hanson: Prison drug treatment funding has increased year on year since 1996-97up nearly 13-fold, with record numbers in treatment.
	The Department of Health plans to increase the level of funding for the clinical elements of the integrated drug treatment system by 13.6 million in 2009-10 and a further 4 million in 2010-11.
	The Government have established the Prison Drug Treatment Review Group, chaired by Professor Lord Kamlesh Patel, which will make recommendations for the continued development of prison drug treatment, informed by recommendations arising from a review of prison drug treatment funding conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in 2007.
	A range of interventions are already available in prisons to support those with an alcohol problem:
	clinical servicesalcohol detoxification is available in all local and remand prisons;
	where alcohol is part of a wider substance misuse problem, the full range of drug interventions are available;
	a number of prisons run alcohol awareness courses;
	Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) run groups in around 67 per cent. of prisons;
	some offending behaviour programmes address the underlying factors which occur in alcohol related crime;
	an accredited 12-step alcohol programme is being run at HMP Bullingdon;
	four accredited intensive interventions are being run at HMP Hull. Forest Bank, Glen Parva and Chelmsford based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy;
	for those prisons(ers) involved in the roll-out of the Integrated Drug Treatment System (IDTS) a 90 minute alcohol awareness session has been developed; and
	the young persons substance misuse service for 16 to 18-year-old prisoners has a particular focus on alcohol.
	The Ministry of Justice has established a Working Group to develop proposals to increase the provision of alcohol treatment available in prisons.

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners are on courses dealing with drug and alcohol abuse.

David Hanson: The number of interventions delivered in the last full financial year (2007-08) is shown in the following table. Individual prisoners will often receive more than one of these interventions.
	
		
			  Intervention type  Interventions delivered 2007-08 
			 Intensive Drug Rehabilitation Programmes (starts)(1) 11,319 
			 CARATs (substance misuse triage assessments) 65,823 
			 YPSMS(2) 7,381 
			 Substance misuse detoxification programmes(3) 46,291 
			 Maintenance prescribing programmes 12,518 
			 (1) Programmes available in prison are split into four main categories: cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), The 12-Step approach. Therapeutic Communities (TCs), Short Duration Programme (SDP) (2) Young People's Substance Misuse Servicesa specialist service for 15 to 17-year-olds (3) Drug and alcohol detoxification data cannot be disaggregated 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	The National Offender Management Service does not collate figures on the number of prisoners accessing treatment services specifically aimed at their alcohol misuse.

Prisons: Drugs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many places on courses dealing with drug and alcohol abuse are available for serving prisoners in 2008-09.

David Hanson: The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has in place a comprehensive drug treatment framework, based on the National Treatment Agency's revised Models of Care, to address the different needs of drug-misusers in prison. The interventions available are designed to meet the needs of low, moderate and severe drug misusersirrespective of age, gender or ethnicity.
	Delivery targets for 2008-09 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Intervention type  Delivery commitment made by all prisons (England/Wales) 2008-09 
			 Clinical Servicesentrants to detoxification and maintenance-prescribing programmes (1) 
			 CARATsSubstance-Misuse Triage Assessments (SMTAs) Conducted(2) 58,330 
			 Drug rehabilitation programmesentrants 10,934 
			 Drug rehabilitation programmes completions (percentage of entrants) 65 
			 (1) DH does not record establishments' delivery commitments, but national delivery is predicted to at least meet last year's outturn of 58,809. (2) This excludes assessments made by Young People's Substance Misuse Services (YPSMS).  Note: Prisoners will often receive more than one type of intervention. 
		
	
	Prisons have in place a range of interventions to support those with an alcohol problem.
	The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) does not collate figures on the number of treatment places specifically for alcohol misuse.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what consideration he has given to the merits of recording prison psychological interviews using the same procedures which are in place for police interviews under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.

David Hanson: Consideration has not been given to the routine recording of prison psychological interviews using the same procedures which are in place for police interviews under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. The purpose of police interviews in gathering evidence for court and many psychological interviews (where the focus is on developing motivation and insight into offending behaviour and completing risk assessments) are different.

Prisons: Smuggling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many prison officers have been  (a) arrested and  (b) convicted of smuggling goods into prison in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many prison officers have been arrested whilst on duty at prisons in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: All staff in the public sector prison service are expected to meet high standards of professional and personal conduct. Allegations of staff misconduct, which are potentially criminal in nature, are referred to the police for investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution.
	The particular information requested in these questions is not held centrally. However, a breakdown of the information on the numbers of staff prosecuted for bringing drugs into a prison establishment in each of the last three years is shown as follows:
	
		
			  Calendar year  Number of staff prosecuted 
			 2006 6 
			 2007 1 
			 2008(1) 12 
			 (1) Covers the period 1 January to 19 November 2008

Prisons: Smuggling

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to reduce smuggling of goods into prisons.

David Hanson: Governors deploy a comprehensive range of robust searching techniques and security measures as part of their individual searching strategies in order to detect drugs, mobile phones and other contraband and prevent smuggling into establishments.
	With regard to drugs and mobile phones, the Government have accepted and are working towards implementing all recommendations contained within David Blakey's report Disrupting the supply of illicit drugs into prisons.

Termination of Employment: Disclosure of Information

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many tribunal complaints have been received arising from protection from unfair dismissal afforded by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 in each year since its enactment; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The provisions introduced by the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protect most workers from being subjected to a detriment by their employer for making a protected disclosure of information in the public interest. Employees who are protected by the provisions may make a claim for unfair dismissal if they believe they have been dismissed for making a protected disclosure. Workers who are not employees may not claim unfair dismissal; however, if their contract has been terminated by the employer because they made a protected disclosure, they may instead make a complaint that they have been subjected to a detriment.
	The following table details the number of claims accepted by the employment tribunal within the unfair dismissal category that contain an element of public interest disclosure. The figures for April to December 2008 are provisional and subject to change.
	
		
			  Financial year  Single claims  Multiple claims( 1)  Total claims accepted 
			 1998-99 1  1 
			 1999-2000 128 37 165 
			 2000-01 349 66 415 
			 2001-02 445 89 534 
			 2002-03 577 89 666 
			 2003-04 645 113 758 
			 2004-05 732 140 872 
			 2005-06 818 219 1,037 
			 2006-07 1,044 312 1,356 
			 2007-08 1,189 313 1,502 
			 2008-09 1,104 222 1,326 
			 (1) A multiple is any two or more claims which arise from the same set of circumstances. It could therefore be two or more claims made by different individuals against the one respondent, or potentially two or more claims made by the same individual against the same respondent. The figures show the total number of claims that were accepted as multiples.

Witnesses: Autism

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in how many criminal cases involving a witness with an autistic spectrum disorder a witness intermediary has been used  (a) by the police prior to a trial or to a decision whether to proceed to trial and  (b) by the courts in England in 2008; and in how many such cases prosecutions have been successful.

Maria Eagle: During 2008 13 referrals were made for the use of an intermediary where the witness' communication needs fell under Autistic Spectrum Disorder. However data are not routinely collected as to the stage in a case at which an intermediary was used, either by the police or at trial. Nor are data collected on the outcome of cases in which an intermediary is used.

Young Offender Institutions

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what additional funding was allocated to escort providers to reduce the number of late arrivals of juveniles at young offender institutions in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07,  (c) 2007-08 and  (d) 2008-09; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of this additional funding;
	(2)  what penalties apply to escort providers in cases where juveniles are delivered to young offender institutions after HM Prison Inspectorate's recommended latest delivery time of 7.00pm; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of these penalties.

David Hanson: The contracts are funded to enable contractors to escort juvenile prisoners to young offender institutions by their stated closure times. No additional funding has been provided. Other factors such as the time juvenile prisoners are finished in court and the distances they travel to their destinations can delay their arrival.
	Under the terms of the contract, performance measures are incurred by contractors if they fail to deliver prisoners to those young offender institutions that have stated closure times by those times and they are unable to demonstrate that the reasons for the failure were outside their control. The stated closure times vary from establishment to establishment. An assessment of the effectiveness of the performance measures relating to the escort of juvenile prisoners will be undertaken in March 2009 as part of a general review of performance measures. If appropriate, consideration will be given to enhancing the performance measures within the existing contracts.

Young Offenders: Offensive Weapons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people under 18 years have been convicted of offences related to the carrying of a knife in the London Borough of Havering in each year since 1997; and what penalties were imposed on them.

Maria Eagle: Data showing the number of persons under 18-years-old convicted of offences related to the carrying of a knife in the Metropolitan police force area from 1997 to 2007 (latest published) and the penalties imposed on them are in the following table.
	Data are not available below police force area, therefore we cannot supply data for the London borough of Havering.
	
		
			  Number of persons aged under 18-years-old found guilty at all courts and a sentence breakdown for offences relating to knife possession( 1) , Metropolitan police force area, 1997 to 2007( 2, 3) 
			Sentence breakdown 
			   Found guilty  Absolute discharge  Conditional discharge  Fine  Community sentence  Immediate custody  Otherwise dealt with 
			 1997 148 2 76 25 43 1 1 
			 1998 167 1 79 40 41 5 1 
			 1999 178 1 77 31 58 8 3 
			 2000 194 2 57 43 84 5 3 
			 2001 340 2 79 78 159 13 9 
			 2002 309 5 30 32 226 10 6 
			 2003 246 7 9 17 203 8 2 
			 2004 239 1 13 15 196 14  
			 2005 298  16 10 261 10 1 
			 2006 337 1 10 3 300 20 3 
			 2007 321 3 7 5 292 13 1 
			 (1 )Includes the following offences and statutes;  Having an article with blade or point in public place. (Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139 as amended by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.3).  Having an article with blade or point on school premises. (Criminal Justice Act 1988 S.139A (1)(5)(a) as added by Offensive Weapons Act 1996 S.4(1)). (2 )The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions on the grounds of rectifiable disabilities have occurred after 24 weeks' gestation in each of the last 15 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of abortions that are performed at 24 weeks' gestation and over by principal medical condition if performed under Section l(l)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967 are in the following tables. Abortions performed under this section are those where there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped. Medical conditions recorded under Section l(l)(d) are coded using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) (10(th) edition) published by the World Health Organisation.
	Data have been provided for years 1995 onwards. Prior to 1995, diagnoses were taken from the 9(th) edition of the ICD and would not allow comparison due to the differences in coding.
	
		
			  Principal medical condition for abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, 1967, over 24 weeks gestation residents( 1) , England and Wales, 1995 to 2002 
			  Number 
			  ICD-10 Code( 2)   Condition  1995( 1)  1996( 1)  1997( 1)  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002 
			   Total ground E alone or with any other 74 103 74 73 89 94 100 114 
			
			 Q00-Q89  Congenital malformations total 49 74 57 59 61 59 63 79 
			
			 Q00-Q07  the nervous system total 30 43 31 26 36 35 27 42 
			
			  Q00 anencephaly 3 1 1 1 2 3 2 2 
			  Q01 encephalocele 2 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 
			  Q02 microcephaly 5 3 1 1 5 0 2 1 
			  Q03 hydrocephalus 13 20 15 8 5 17 4 9 
			  Q04 other malformations of the brain 5 8 8 7 7 7 12 15 
			  Q05 spina bifida 1 8 3 4 6 8 7 6 
			  Q06-Q07 other 1 0 3 4 10 0 0 8 
			
			 Q10-Q89  other congenital malformations total 19 31 26 33 25 24 36 37 
			
			  Q10-Q18 the eye, ear, face and neck 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Q20-Q28 the cardiovascular system 2 6 7 13 10 8 15 13 
			  Q30-Q34 the respiratory system 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 4 
			  Q35-Q37 cleft lip and cleft palate 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 
			  Q38-Q45 other malformations of the digestive system 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 
			  Q50-Q56 the genital organs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Q60-Q64 the urinary system 7 6 7 7 6 8 4 4 
			  Q65-Q79 the musculoskeletal system 4 9 8 9 2 4 6 10 
			  Q80-Q85 the skin, breast integument phakomatoses 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			  Q86-Q89 other 5 9 4 4 5 1 7 4 
			
			 Q90-Q99  Chromosomal abnormalities total 19 20 12 10 17 20 24 25 
			
			  Q90 Down's syndrome 7 8 5 4 4 5 11 7 
			  Q910-Q913 Edwards' syndrome 6 4 5 1 2 5 9 6 
			  Q914-Q917 Patau's syndrome 1 3 1 2 4 4 1 1 
			  Q92-Q99 other 5 5 1 3 7 6 3 11 
			
			   Other conditions total 6 9 5 4 11 15 13 10 
			
			  P00-P04 fetus affected by maternal factors 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 
			  P05-P08 fetal disorders related to gestation and growth 1 5 3 1 4 8 7 2 
			  P35-P39 fetus affected by congenital infectious disease 1 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 
			  P55 haemolytic disease of fetus and newborn 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 4 
			  P832-P833 hydrop fetalis not due to haemolytic disease 3 1 1 2 1 2 5 0 
			  O30 multiple gestation 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  O42 premature rupture of membranes 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Z20-Z22 exposure to communicable disease 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Z245 need for immunisation against rubella 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			  Z80-Z84 family history of heritable disorder 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 3 
			 (1) Figures for 1995, 1996 and 1997 include 12, 10 and 10 cases respectively for non residents of England and Wales. It is not possible to provide resident-only figures for disease categories for this year for reasons of confidentiality. (2) ICD-10 codes are taken from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). 
		
	
	
		
			  Principal medical condition for abortions performed under Section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act, 1967, over 24 weeks gestation, residents, England and Wales, 2003-07 
			  Number 
			  ICD-10 code( 1)  Condition  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			   Total ground E alone or with any other( 2) 136 124 137 136 135 
			  
			 Q00-Q89  Congenital malformations total 96 91 99 95 93 
			  
			 Q00-Q07  the nervous system total  58 35 54 60 59 
			  
			  Q00 anencephaly   
			  Q01 encephalocele   
			  
			  Q03 hydrocephalus 10  
			  Q04 other malformations of the brain  12 11 14 24 19 
			  Q05 spina bifida  16 
			  Q02,Q06, Q07(3) other  17 12 22 16 19 
			  
			 Q10-Q89  other congenital malformations total  38 56 45 35 34 
			  Q20-Q28  the cardiovascular system 18 23 12 13  
			  Q30-Q34  the respiratory system  
			Q35-Q37  cleft lip and cleft palate ( 4) 11   
			Q38-Q45  other malformations of the digestive system ( 4) 17   
			  
			  Q60-Q64  the urinary system  
			  Q65-Q79  the musculoskeletal system 10 15   13 
			  Q10-Q18, Q35-Q56 and Q80-Q89(3)  other   15   
			  
			 Q90-Q99  Chromosomal abnormalities total  22 23 28 25 31 
			  
			  Q90 Down's syndrome   11  12  
			  Q910-Q913 Edwards' syndrome  10 
			  Q914-Q917 Patau's syndrome   
			  Q92-Q99(3) other  10  10   
			  
			   Other conditions total  14 10 10 16 11 
			  
			  P00-P04 fetus affected by maternal factors   
			  P05-P08 fetal disorders relating to gestation and growth   
			  P832-P833 hydrops fetalis not due to haemolytic disease   
			  Z80-Z84 family history of heritable disorder   
			   other*   
			  = suppressed value less than 10 (between 0 and 9). From 2003 onwards, totals less than 10 are suppressed for reasons of confidentiality in line with the Office for National Statistics' guidance on the disclosure of abortion statistics (2005). (1) ICD-10 codes are taken from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision) published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). (2) Over 24 week total includes abortions carried out under sections 1(1)(b), 1(1)(c) and 1(4). (3) Codes listed under 'other' have cases between 0 and 9 inclusive. (4) In line with the guidance, three year aggregate totals for 2003-2005 have been produced where possible. * Includes cases where insufficient detail was available to allocate an ICD10 code. Notes: Section 1(1)(b): that the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman (Ground B) Section 1(1)(c ): that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated (Ground A) Section 1(1)(d): that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped (Ground E) Section 1(4): that the termination is immediately necessary to save the life (Ground F) or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman. (Ground G)

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) men and  (b) women were treated at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford for alcohol-related (i) injuries and (ii) illnesses in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The only centrally available data on treatment for alcohol-related health problems report on the number of admissions to hospital for alcohol and alcohol-related health problems. An individual may account for more than one admission.
	While it is possible to analyse the admissions data to determine the number of individuals admitted to hospital for alcohol and alcohol-related health problems, this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table shows the number of admissions by primary care trust in Essex for the period covering 2002-03 to 2006-07.
	
		
			  Primary Care Trust Admissions 2002-07 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			   Males  Females  Total  Males  Females  Total  Males  Females  Total 
			 South East Essex 2,032 1,339 3,370 2,097 1,387 3,484 2,652 1,790 4,443 
			 West Essex 1,283 849 2,133 1,502 995 2,498 1,745 1,143 2,888 
			 North East Essex 1,404 902 2,305 1,586 986 2,572 1,714 1,024 2,738 
			 Mid Essex 1,532 992 2,523 1,898 1,319 3,217 2,250 1,442 3,692 
			 South West Essex 1,891 1,141 3,032 1,994 1,280 3,274 2,295 1,367 3,662 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			   Males  Females  Total  Males  Females  Total 
			 South East Essex 2,982 1,969 4,951 3,235 2,122 5,357 
			 West Essex 1,949 1,216 3,165 2,253 1,373 3,626 
			 North East Essex 2,227 1,401 3,629 2,365 1,477 3,843 
			 Mid Essex 2,446 1,597 4,043 2,363 1,509 3,872 
			 South West Essex 2,719 1,679 4,398 2,926 1,834 4,760 
			  Notes: Includes activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector.  Alcohol-related admissions The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions. Figures for under 16s only include admissions where one or more alcohol-specific conditions were listed. This is because the research on which the attributable fractions are based does not cover under 16s. Alcohol-specific conditions are those that are wholly attributed to alcohol - that is, those with an attributable fraction of one. They are: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (I42.6) Alcoholic gastritis (K29.2) Alcoholic myopathy (G72.1) Alcoholic polyneuropathy (G62.1) Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome (E24.4) Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol (G31.2) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (F10) Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45) Ethanol poisoning (T51.0) Methanol poisoning (T51.1) Toxic effect of alcohol, unspecified (T51.9)  Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record.  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.  Secondary diagnoses As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.  Data Quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals aged 11 to 18 years resident in each  (a) London borough and  (b) Government Office region were treated for alcohol-related health problems in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The only centrally available data on treatment for alcohol-related health problems are the number of admissions to hospital for alcohol and alcohol-related health problems. An individual may account for more than one admission.
	While it is possible to analyse the admissions data to determine the number of individuals aged 11 to 18 years admitted to hospital for alcohol and alcohol-related health problems, this could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table gives the number of alcohol-related finished admissions for patients aged 11 to 18 by London borough and Government office region for each year from 2002-03 to 2006-07. 2006-07 is the latest year for which data are available. The figures relate to the number of admissions rather than the number of individuals.
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  London borough  
			 City of London 0 0 0 * 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham 49 47 37 55 55 
			 Barnet 37 35 56 76 88 
			 Bexley 28 53 63 69 58 
			 Brent 15 25 31 45 38 
			 Bromley 35 66 65 90 76 
			 Camden 27 33 34 46 39 
			 Croydon 50 72 98 101 93 
			 Ealing 54 67 42 52 75 
			 Enfield 36 42 49 72 72 
			 Greenwich 38 41 55 64 49 
			 Hackney 40 39 29 56 49 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 26 29 35 40 50 
			 Haringey 38 29 41 49 61 
			 Harrow 26 19 35 36 30 
			 Havering 43 65 50 73 82 
			 Hillingdon 39 56 84 83 88 
			 Hounslow 33 40 41 74 38 
			 Islington 46 45 41 52 62 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 15 13 12 24 15 
			 Kingston upon Thames 39 46 41 44 36 
			 Lambeth 39 40 53 46 52 
			 Lewisham 37 58 48 49 60 
			 Merton 41 45 46 49 40 
			 Newham 38 49 44 36 69 
			 Redbridge 39 37 42 58 70 
			 Richmond upon Thames 29 30 28 43 39 
			 Southwark 43 39 41 40 41 
			 Sutton 65 52 55 52 56 
			 Tower Hamlets 24 33 41 46 46 
			 Waltham Forest 39 57 46 50 78 
			 Wandsworth 46 35 39 54 41 
			 Westminster 16 20 22 * 24 
			   
			  Government office region  
			 North East 1,211 1,161 1,357 1,553 1,608 
			 North West 2,746 3,054 3,436 3,996 4,138 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1,766 1,912 1,975 2,102 2,136 
			 East Midlands 1,163 1,253 1,331 1,436 1,490 
			 West Midlands 1,613 1,758 1,825 2,243 2,288 
			 East 1,182 1,328 1,329 1,377 1,449 
			 London 1,171 1,358 1,445 1,749 1,769 
			 South East 1,938 2,192 2,492 2,711 2,610 
			 South West 1,357 1,614 1,827 2,082 2,113 
			 Unknown/no fixed abode 148 156 192 273 261 
			   
			 England 14,296 15,787 17,211 19,523 19,864 
			  Notes: 1. Includes activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. Small numbers: To protect patient confidentiality, figures between one and five have been suppressed and replaced with '*' (an asterisk). Where it was possible to identify numbers from the total due to a single suppressed number in a row or column, an additional number (the next smallest) has been suppressed. 3. Alcohol-related admissions: The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions. 4. Figures for under 16s only include admissions where one or more alcohol-specific conditions were listed. This is because the research on which the attributable fractions are based does not cover under 16s. Alcohol-specific conditions are those that are wholly attributed to alcoholthat is, those with an attributable fraction of one. They are: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (142.6) Alcoholic gastritis (K29.2) Alcoholic myopathy (G72.1) Alcoholic polyneuropathy (G62.1) Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome (E24.4) Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol (G31.2) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (F10) Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45) Ethanol poisoning (T51.0) Methanol poisoning (T51.1) Toxic effect of alcohol, unspecified (T51.9). 5. Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis: These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. 6. Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 7. Primary diagnosis: The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital. 8. Secondary diagnoses: As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 13 (six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care. 9. Data Quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Cancer: Health Education

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) cancer networks are giving high priority to raising public awareness of cancer risk factors.

Ann Keen: Through the Cancer Reform Strategy's (CRS) National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI), the Department, in partnership with Cancer Research UK, is co-ordinating a programme to support local interventions to increase cancer symptom awareness and encourage earlier presentation. NAEDI's launch event in November 2008, was very well attended by primary care trusts and cancer networks from across the country.
	As highlighted in the first annual report on the CRS, which was published in December 2008 (a copy has already been placed in the Library), the annual report for 2009 will have a greater focus on local implementation. This will include an assessment of local progress in raising public awareness of cancer risk factors.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which commissioners have put in place systems to ensure that patients experience good continuity of care in relation to cancer services;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of commissioners of cancer services have established service level agreements with local mental health services for advanced psychological support services.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for primary care trusts working in partnership with their strategic health authorities, local services and stakeholders to provide appropriate services for their local populations, including the commissioning of cancer services and psychological support for cancer patients.
	Through the implementation of the Cancer Reform Strategy, the Department provides a range of support to help commissioners of cancer services to ensure that their services meet their populations' needs. This includes the Cancer Commissioning Guidance, which sets out key issues and key questions that commissioners will want to take into consideration when assessing health needs, reviewing services, developing their contract service specifications and monitoring performance; and the Cancer Commissioning Toolkit, which provides an easily accessible one stop source of cancer information to provide answers to the key questions in the Cancer Commissioning Guidance.
	The planned annual patient experience survey will provide us with information about how far patients are satisfied with the quality of the services being commissioned for them. Local patient experience surveys are already in operation in some cancer networks.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the representative advisory group on cancer inequalities has made towards  (a) researching proposals,  (b) testing inequalities and  (c) advising on the development of a wider policy; and when and how he plans to evaluate the National Cancer Equality Initiative.

Ann Keen: As highlighted in the first annual report of the Cancer Reform Strategy (CRS), Cancer Reform Strategy: Maintaining momentum, building for the futurefirst annual report, published on 1 December 2008 (a copy of which has already been placed in the Library), we have set up the National Cancer Equality Initiative (NCEI) to take forward a series of actions to reduce inequalities in cancer care. An advisory group has been established, co-chaired by Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, and Joanne Rule, the former Chief Executive of Cancer Backup. The membership of the group comprises representatives of all six equality strands, plus representatives on deprivation, leading academics, professionals, and departmental officials on cancer, equality and human rights, and health inequalities.
	The NCEI Advisory Group has already met three times, and has taken forward work on the following:
	to establish a baseline, the NCEI has undertaken a good practice survey to identify current projects aiming to reduce inequalities in cancer care. The principles behind undertaking robust projects to reduce cancer inequalities, including examples from the survey, will be issued to the national health service later this year;
	writing to the chairs of the other CRS initiatives to embed equality issues across the whole programme. Letters have already been sent to the chairs of the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative and the National Cancer Intelligence Network, and future letters will be sent to the National Cancer Research Institute and the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative, and other major initiatives as appropriate;
	working with Macmillan Cancer Support on their Human Rights programme of work, Know Your Rights; and
	producing a newsletter, We Can, which was launched at the Britain Against Cancer Conference in December 2008.
	The NCEI action plan for 2009-10 is currently being developed. The Cancer Programme Board has the responsibility for monitoring progress on all CRS initiatives, including the NCEI, and we are committed to publishing an annual report on progress.

Cancer: Information

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation he has made of the pilot programme for information prescriptions in relation to cancer.

Ann Keen: The piloting of information prescriptions, which included four cancer pilot sites, concluded with an evaluation report and a government response which were both published in September 2008. These have been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Information

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to implement a system nationwide to enable health professionals to generate tailored information prescriptions at any point in the cancer pathway.

Ann Keen: The national cancer action team is working in partnership with the cancer networks and cancer charities (Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support) to develop tumour-specific information pathways and an electronic delivery system that can be used by professionals to deliver tailored Information Prescriptions to patients at any point during the cancer pathway. These are currently being piloted across 39 trusts in England. It is planned that the full system, which will include tumour-specific pathways, will be available to most NHS trusts and cancer health care professionals in 2009.
	In addition NHS Choices website currently makes available Information Prescriptions to patients, carers and professionals for prostate cancer and bowel cancer, with other cancers planned to follow. NHS Choices and the cancer partnership are working together to ensure consistent information delivery.

Cancer: Mental Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which good psychological support services are available throughout the cancer journey;
	(2)  what progress he has made towards introducing a national cancer survivorship initiative.

Ann Keen: The Cancer Reform Strategy 2007 set out plans to ensure that people living with and beyond cancer receive the care and support, including psychological support, that they need to enable them to live as healthy and active a life as possible. A copy of the strategy has already been placed in the Library.
	Elements of this are being taken forward through the National Cancer Survivorship Initiative, which was formally launched in September 2008. It is co-chaired by Mike Richards, the Department's National Cancer Director, and Ciaran Devane, the Chief Executive of Macmillan Cancer Support. Seven workstreams have been established and have already started work.
	As set out in the report Cancer Reform StrategyMaintaining momentum, building for the future: first annual report, a priority for the coming year is to ensure that cancer patients benefit from the expansion and development of psychological therapies. A copy of the report has already been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Screening

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which primary care professionals have fast access to relevant diagnostic tests for cancer; and what sanctions there are for primary care trusts which do not implement this policy.

Ann Keen: The Cancer Reform Strategy (CRS) made clear that as a matter of best practice a good primary care trust will wish to ensure that primary care professionals have appropriate and timely direct access to diagnostic tests. Sanctions are not imposed on primary care trusts for not implementing best practice and no assessment has been made of the extent of primary care access to diagnostic tests for cancer.
	Information on improvements in diagnostics is set out the first annual report of the CRS, a copy of which is available in the Library. Improving primary care access to diagnostics is a priority for improving early diagnosis of cancer and, although good progress has been made in diagnosis, the CRS Advisory Board feel that further improvements can be made in primary care access to diagnosis. In view of this, diagnostics has been added as an eighth work stream to the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative and work to develop this work stream is currently under way.

Care Quality Commission: Buildings

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much will be paid by the Care Quality Commission for the rent of its premises in 2009-10; and whether it shares its premises with any other publicly-funded body.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has informed us that the preliminary 2009-10 estates budget for CQC is expected to be 9.7 million, which consists of an operating budget of 8.4 million and 1.3 million allocated in the transitional budget for the phased migration in the first half of 2009-10 out of existing buildings surplus to the Commission's requirements.
	The number of premises to be shared with other publicly funded bodies is not currently available.

Care Quality Commission: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Care Quality Commission's next annual budget will be.

Ben Bradshaw: The Care Quality Commission, in line with all other arm's length bodies, is currently undertaking its 2009-10 annual business planning process with the Department. The Care Quality Commissions budget will be finalised and issued once this process is completed. This will be no later than the 31 March 2009.

Care Quality Commission: Manpower

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time staff are to be employed by the Care Quality Commission once it becomes fully operational in April 2009.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chair of the Care Quality Commission has informed us that most positions in the Commission will be filled by staff transferring from the Healthcare Commission, Commission for Social Care Inspection and Mental Health Act Commission. The process for transferring staff is under way, and information on which transferring staff are full-time or part-time will not be available until late March 2009.
	Exact staff numbers are therefore still being finalised.

Care Quality Commission: Public Consultation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision has been made for the inclusion of patients' views in the consultation being carried out by the Care Quality Commission on proposals for reviews in 2009-10.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chair of the Care Quality Commission has informed us that planned activities during the consultation period for the Commission's proposals for reviews in 2009-10 will include the following three ways of seeking views from people who use health and social care services:
	the first will be a round of consultation events with stakeholders through the local involvement networks (LINks) on topics such as assessment of commissioning;
	the second is a series of events aimed specifically at people who use services, their families and carers and will be able to comment on the reviews and studies programme including what they regard as their priorities. The topics for the consultation were generated via involvement activity in 'Improvement Boards'; and
	the third will be to receive input to the consultation via an online forum. A panel of people have been recruited from the public and patient and user groups to give their views through an internet discussion forum.
	The consultation is scheduled to end on 12 March 2009.

Care Quality Commission: Public Consultation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organisations were contacted by the Care Quality Commission to inform them of its consultation on proposals for reviews in 2009-10.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chair of the Care Quality Commission has informed us that 1,856 copies of the consultation document have been sent out to date (15 January 2009), consisting of an initial distribution of 1,410 copies, with the remainder being sent out as a result of requests. In addition to this, 24,400 letters have been sent to stakeholders informing them of the consultation and including details on how to obtain a copy on request.

Care Quality Commission: Public Consultation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost is of the consultation on proposals for reviews in 2009-10 being carried out by the Care Quality Commission.

Ben Bradshaw: The Chair of the Care Quality Commission has informed us that, as this consultation runs until 12 March 2009, the final details of consultation engagement activity are yet to be confirmed.

Care Quality Commission: Registration

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans are in place to ensure all health and social care providers meet the requirement of registration with the Care Quality Commission.

Ben Bradshaw: From April 2010, all providers of regulated activities, whether from the health care or adult social care sectors, will need to register with the Care Quality Commission. In order to register and remain registered, they will be required to meet the registration requirements. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, the Care Quality Commission will have a range of independent enforcement actions that it can take to bring providers who do not meet the registration requirements into compliance.
	The Department consulted on which activities should fall within the scope of registration and on the registration requirements during the summer of 2008, and will publish its response to that consultation in due course. The Commission will subsequently develop and consult on its own compliance criteria that it will use to assess adherence to the registration requirements.

Cervical Cancer: Screening

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress his Department has made towards reducing the variation in cervical cancer screening coverage between primary care trusts; and what progress has been made towards increasing the uptake of screening of  (a) poor communities and  (b) black and ethnic minority communities.

Ann Keen: The Cancer Reform Strategy, published in December 2007, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, said that we wished to reduce the variation of cervical screening coverage between primary care trusts. National health service (NHS) Cancer Screening Programmes have commissioned the Improvement Foundation to work with six primary care trusts with deprived communities to develop and test initiatives to improve uptake. The Improvement Foundation are expected to deliver the outcomes from their work to NHS Cancer Screening Programmes by the end of 2009, and the lessons learned will be shared with strategic health authorities and local screening programmes to develop best practice.
	There is a need to ensure that health inequalities are tackled with targeted programmes that increase the uptake of screening in deprived and black and ethnic minority communities. It is be for those primary care trusts with low uptake levels for cervical screening to develop targeted programmes to tackle any identified health inequalities.
	NHS Cancer Screening Programmes and the university of Leeds have been working on a research project to provide guidance for communicating screening information to women from minority ethnic and low income groups throughout both the cervical and breast screening programmes. The final report is due shortly and NHS Cancer Screening Programmes will work with the university of Leeds to develop follow-up work to build on the findings.
	To incentivise services to encourage higher coverage, the decision has been taken to explore having a tariff for cervical screening, along with breast and bowel screening. The Department is working closely with NHS Cancer Screening Programmes on a scoping exercise to inform this work.

Continuing Care

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received NHS continuing health care  (a) in total and  (b) per 50,000 of population in each primary care trust area in England in each of the first three quarters of 2008-09.

Phil Hope: The requested information is shown in the following table. Data for the third quarter of 2008-09 are not available.
	
		
			  Number of people receiving continuing NHS healthcare in total and per 50,000 population, England, 2008-09 
			Number of people receiving continuing NHS healthcare  Number of people receiving continuing NHS healthcare per 50,000 population 
			  Org code  Org name  Q1  Q2  Q1  Q2 
			  England 37,920 40,449 37.5 40.0 
			   
			 5HG Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 518 638 85.9 105.8 
			 5C2 Barking and Dagenham PCT 285 271 86.8 82.5 
			 5A9 Barnet PCT 363 404 54.9 61.1 
			 5JE Barnsley PCT 70 78 15.2 16.9 
			 5ET Bassetlaw PCT 38 38 17.9 17.9 
			 5FL Bath and North East Somerset PCT 234 298 63.8 81.3 
			 5P2 Bedfordshire PCT 151 152 18.5 18.7 
			 5QG Berkshire East PCT 535 557 70.4 73.3 
			 5QF Berkshire West PCT 186 157 20.7 17.5 
			 TAK Bexley Care Trust 155 158 36.9 37.6 
			 5PG Birmingham East And North PCT 220 263 27.8 33.2 
			 5CC Blackburn with Darwen PCT 46 75 15.2 24.8 
			 5HP Blackpool PCT 230 85 81.9 30.3 
			 5HQ Bolton PCT 175 218 33.3 41.5 
			 5QN Bournemouth And Poole PCT 418 352 65.8 55.4 
			 5NY Bradford And Airedale PCT 328 464 33.2 47.0 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 344 330 61.2 58.7 
			 5LQ Brighton and Hove City PCT 154 146 30.0 28.4 
			 5QJ Bristol PCT 295 266 34.9 31.5 
			 5A7 Bromley PCT 173 210 28.7 34.8 
			 5QD Buckinghamshire PCT 375 387 38.0 39.2 
			 5JX Bury PCT 42 51 11.6 14.1 
			 5J6 Calderdale PCT 179 234 45.0 58.8 
			 5PP Cambridgeshire PCT 387 489 34.0 42.9 
			 5K7 Camden PCT 115 131 25.0 28.5 
			 5NP Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 293 352 33.0 39.7 
			 5NG Central Lancashire PCT 288 267 32.9 30.5 
			 5C3 City and Hackney PCT 218 230 49.1 51.8 
			 5QP Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT 684 664 65.7 63.8 
			 5ND County Durham PCT 575 643 56.9 63.6 
			 5MD Coventry PCT 449 362 69.6 56.1 
			 5K9 Croydon PCT 311 353 46.8 53.1 
			 5NE Cumbria PCT 142 142 14.2 14.2 
			 5J9 Darlington PCT 120 133 61.5 68.2 
			 5N7 Derby City PCT 248 268 46.1 49.8 
			 5N6 Derbyshire County PCT 816 882 59.2 63.9 
			 5QQ Devon PCT 989 924 68.4 63.9 
			 5N5 Doncaster PCT 410 326 70.1 55.7 
			 5QM Dorset PCT 539 640 71.1 84.4 
			 5PE Dudley PCT 214 214 35.5 35.5 
			 5HX Ealing PCT 85 184 13.3 28.8 
			 5P3 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 211 203 19.3 18.6 
			 5NH East Lancashire PCT 190 211 25.4 28.2 
			 5NW East Riding of Yorkshire PCT 86 106 14.2 17.5 
			 5P7 East Sussex Downs And Weald PCT 181 245 27.8 37.7 
			 5QA Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 406 406 28.6 28.6 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT 239 236 44.7 44.1 
			 5KF Gateshead PCT 93 101 23.9 26.0 
			 5QH Gloucestershire PCT 280 359 24.3 31.2 
			 5PR Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 86 88 19.6 20.0 
			 5A8 Greenwich PCT 147 144 31.9 31.3 
			 5NM Halton and St. Helens PCT 326 392 53.6 64.4 
			 5H1 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 200 167 59.0 49.3 
			 5QC Hampshire PCT 1,940 1,435 79.2 58.6 
			 5C9 Haringey PCT 238 208 50.1 43.8 
			 5K6 Harrow PCT 320 344 80.7 86.7 
			 5D9 Hartlepool PCT 125 115 68.8 63.3 
			 5P8 Hastings and Rother PCT 155 81 45.4 23.7 
			 5A4 Havering PCT 318 241 67.4 51.1 
			 5MX Heart of Birmingham PCT 57 72 10.1 12.8 
			 5CN Herefordshire PCT 218 233 62.5 66.8 
			 5NQ Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 139 98 34.0 24.0 
			 5AT Hillingdon PCT 376 351 78.3 73.1 
			 5HY Hounslow PCT 292 142 66.3 32.2 
			 5NX Hull PCT 65 93 11.6 16.7 
			 5QT Isle of Wight NHS PCT 253 262 92.3 95.6 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 95 121 25.7 32.7 
			 5LA Kensington and Chelsea PCT 205 154 54.2 40.8 
			 5A5 Kingston PCT 83 84 24.5 24.8 
			 5N2 Kirklees PCT 299 348 38.4 44.7 
			 5J4 Knowsley PCT 148 101 48.9 33.4 
			 5LD Lambeth PCT 176 188 30.6 32.7 
			 5N1 Leeds PCT 784 784 51.8 51.8 
			 5PC Leicester City PCT 162 186 26.5 30.4 
			 5PA Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 312 440 24.4 34.4 
			 5LF Lewisham PCT 145 140 28.4 27.4 
			 5N9 Lincolnshire PCT 239 564 17.3 40.7 
			 5NL Liverpool PCT 285 428 32.0 48.1 
			 5GC Luton PCT 125 123 34.1 33.5 
			 5NT Manchester PCT 219 262 22.8 27.3 
			 5L3 Medway PCT 99 106 18.7 20.0 
			 5PX Mid Essex PCT 201 147 28.5 20.8 
			 5KM Middlesbrough PCT 148 133 51.4 46.2 
			 5CQ Milton Keynes PCT 65 69 14.1 15.0 
			 5D7 Newcastle PCT 106 86 20.4 16.5 
			 5C5 Newham PCT 223 224 44.0 44.2 
			 5PQ Norfolk PCT 339 287 23.7 20.1 
			 5PW North East Essex PCT 93 166 14.9 26.6 
			 TAN North East Lincolnshire Care Trust Plus 132 112 40.2 34.1 
			 5NF North Lancashire PCT 330 423 50.8 65.1 
			 5EF North Lincolnshire PCT 143 165 45.3 52.3 
			 5M8 North Somerset PCT 129 166 32.5 41.8 
			 5PH North Staffordshire PCT 146 161 35.8 39.5 
			 5E1 North Tees PCT 221 228 59.0 60.8 
			 5D8 North Tyneside PCT 170 180 41.9 44.3 
			 5NV North Yorkshire And York PCT 386 386 25.3 25.3 
			 5PD Northamptonshire PCT 476 390 36.5 29.9 
			 TAC Northumberland Care Trust 216 265 34.8 42.7 
			 5EM Nottingham City PCT 172 191 28.5 31.6 
			 5N8 Nottinghamshire County PCT 433 538 34.0 42.2 
			 5J5 Oldham PCT 244 280 54.9 63.0 
			 5QE Oxfordshire PCT 441 565 36.2 46.4 
			 5PN Peterborough PCT 66 66 22.1 22.1 
			 5F1 Plymouth PCT 398 486 80.4 98.1 
			 5FE Portsmouth City PCT 222 280 56.0 70.6 
			 5NA Redbridge PCT 179 98 37.7 20.7 
			 5QR Redcar and Cleveland PCT 65 59 24.5 22.2 
			 5M6 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 105 107 30.5 31.0 
			 5H8 Rotherham PCT 164 146 33.6 29.9 
			 5F5 Salford PCT 242 210 54.5 47.3 
			 5PF Sandwell PCT 92 152 15.3 25.3 
			 5NJ Sefton PCT 174 178 32.1 32.8 
			 5N4 Sheffield PCT 414 593 39.1 56.0 
			 5M2 Shropshire County PCT 280 280 49.4 49.4 
			 TAM Solihull Care Trust 149 151 36.3 36.8 
			 5QL Somerset PCT 254 320 25.0 31.4 
			 5M1 South Birmingham PCT 115 166 16.6 24.0 
			 5P1 South East Essex PCT 38 59 5.8 8.9 
			 5A3 South Gloucestershire PCT 135 166 28.1 34.6 
			 5PK South Staffordshire PCT 310 335 26.7 28.8 
			 5KG South Tyneside PCT 89 98 29.5 32.5 
			 5PY South West Essex PCT 49 95 6.2 12.0 
			 5L1 Southampton City PCT 232 280 47.7 57.6 
			 5LE Southwark PCT 151 169 29.9 33.4 
			 5F7 Stockport PCT 192 251 34.1 44.6 
			 5PJ Stoke on Trent PCT 141 156 27.3 30.2 
			 5PT Suffolk PCT 190 214 16.3 18.4 
			 5KL Sunderland Teaching PCT 257 262 46.9 47.8 
			 5P5 Surrey PCT 641 634 30.2 29.9 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 216 258 28.8 34.4 
			 5K3 Swindon PCT 73 87 19.3 23.0 
			 5LH Tameside and Glossop PCT 195 191 43.3 42.4 
			 5MK Telford and Wrekin PCT 221 234 68.6 72.6 
			 TAL Torbay Care Trust 154 161 55.7 58.3 
			 5C4 Tower Hamlets PCT 71 98 16.7 23.1 
			 5NR Trafford PCT 60 60 14.3 14.3 
			 5N3 Wakefield District PCT 190 240 28.6 36.1 
			 5M3 Walsall PCT 272 308 54.5 61.7 
			 5NC Waltham Forest PCT 131 86 28.8 18.9 
			 5LG Wandsworth PCT 94 125 16.9 22.5 
			 5J2 Warrington PCT 113 127 29.5 33.1 
			 5PM Warwickshire PCT 659 889 64.3 86.8 
			 5PV West Essex PCT 93 89 17.9 17.1 
			 5P4 West Hertfordshire PCT 283 226 26.5 21.2 
			 5P9 West Kent PCT 225 334 17.1 25.4 
			 5P6 West Sussex PCT 592 952 38.5 61.9 
			 5NN Western Cheshire PCT 135 152 27.6 31.1 
			 5LC Westminster PCT 186 129 40.1 27.8 
			 5QK Wiltshire PCT 315 339 36.6 39.4 
			 5NK Wirral PCT 143 170 23.0 27.3 
			 5MV Wolverhampton City PCT 265 267 55.7 56.1 
			 5PL Worcestershire PCT 362 356 33.3 32.8 
			  Note: Lists extracted from the ADS2007 and reconciled to ONS mid 2006 estimates for local authorities (minus special populations) have been used for the 2008-09 figures.  Source: Department of Health forms: Vital Signs Monitoring Return (VSMR). GP membership populations - ADS 2007 reconciled to ONS mid 2006 estimates for local authorities (minus special populations), The Information Centre.

Dental Services

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 946, what the evidential basis is for the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health's statement that access to NHS dentistry has improved since the new contract was introduced.

Ann Keen: Information on the number of patients seen in the 24 months ending March 2006, and the number of patients seen in the 24 months ending June 2008, is available in annex 3, table D1 of NHS Dental Statistics, Q1 2008-09. Information is available at primary care trust (PCT) level. This publication has already been placed in the Library, and is available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/nhs-dental-statistics-q1-2008-09
	These data show that there are many areas across the country where access has improved. In around 30 per cent. of PCTs the number of patients accessing national health service dental services has increased since the reforms were introduced in April 2006.
	However, we recognise that more remains to be done. This is why we have appointed the independent review team chaired by Professor Jimmy Steele to help us look at what steps we can take to ensure that every person, wherever he or she lives, who actively seeks to access an NHS dentist can do so.

Dental Services: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in  (a) Stroud constituency and  (b) Gloucestershire offer NHS treatment to (i) children and (ii) adults; how many patients are covered; and what percentage this is of the relevant population in each case.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested.
	The numbers of dentists with national health service activity during the years ending 31 March, 2007 and 2008 are available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08 report. Information is provided by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT). This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006.
	Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report, published on 21 August 2008, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708
	These figures relate to headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others, or between treatments for adults and children.
	Under the new dental contractual arrangements, patients do not have to be registered with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ('patients seen') over a 24-month period. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	The number of patients seen in the previous 24 months in England, as at quarterly intervals, from 31 March 2006 to 30 June 2008 is available in Table Dl of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics, Q1 2008-09 report. Table D2 contains information on the numbers of patients seen as a percentage of the population. Information is provided by PCT and SHA and is available by adult and child patients seen.
	This report, published on 27 November 2008, has been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0809q1.

Departmental Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his Department's staff who left under  (a) an involuntary and  (b) a voluntary exit scheme in each year since 2005-06 received a severance package of (i) up to 25,000, (ii) 25,001 to 50,000, (iii) 50,001 to 75,000, (iv) 75,001 to 100,000 and (v) over 100,000; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the size of severance packages given to staff leaving the Department under involuntary and voluntary exit schemes in each year since 2005-06 are presented in the following table:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006- 07  200 - 08 
			Involuntary  Voluntary  Involuntary  Voluntary  Involuntary  Voluntary 
			 0-25,000 0 2 1 16 6 13 
			 25,001-50,000 1 2 1 2 1 16 
			 50,001-75,000 1 4 1 2 0 7 
			 75,001-100,000 0 2 0 2 0 5 
			 Over 100,000 6 15 5 9 3 25 
			
			 Total 8 25 8 31 10 66

General Practitioners: Finance

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which GP surgeries will be upgraded using the 100 million of capital spending being brought forward; and to what standards such surgeries will be upgraded.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 10 December 2008,  Official Report, column 156W. As stated in the pre-Budget report, the key focus of investment will be to improve and extend training facilities in those areas that have historically had a lower provision of general practitioners (GPs).
	It is too early to say which GP surgeries will be upgraded.

Hospitals: Cleaning Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much hospital trusts in England have spent on cleaning in each financial year since 1997-98.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The Department began the collection of cleaning spend data in 2000-01 from national health service trusts, through its Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC). The information available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Total expenditure on cleaning services ( million) 
			 2000-01 403 
			 2001-02 418 
			 2002-03 460 
			 2003-04 493 
			 2004-05 536 
			 2005-06 616 
			 2006-07 663 
			 2007-08 720 
		
	
	These data have not been amended centrally and therefore its accuracy is the responsibility of the contributing NHS organisations.
	The Department has a comprehensive programme of work in place to improve hospital cleanliness. Every hospital in England has already undertaken a deep clean, and the latest Healthcare Commission in-patient survey shows the NHS achieving its highest ever cleanliness rating with 93 per cent. of adults saying their ward was fairly clean or very clean. In the 2008 PEAT (Patient Environment Action Team) scores, over 98 per cent. of hospitals were rated Acceptable, Good or Excellent compared to 2000 when a third were rated as red.
	A new national standard for monitoring cleanliness in health care environments is currently being developed with leading experts in the field of health care cleaning, and will be carried out under the auspices of the British Standards Institute.

Hospitals: Disinfectants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will investigate the effectiveness of disinfectant wipes using chlorine-based formulae against  clostridium difficile;
	(2)  if he will commission research into the sporicidal effectiveness of  (a) chlorine-based formulae and  (b) quaternary ammonium-based formulae.

Ann Keen: The Department is currently commissioning research into the effectiveness of a number of commercial formulations that claim to be sporicidal which may include both chlorine and quaternary ammonium-based formulae.

Hospitals: Disinfectants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to encourage NHS trusts to use chlorine-based wipes as disinfectants in hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Existing guidance recommends chlorine based disinfectants that have proven sporicidal activity. The Department will continue to stress the need to use appropriate disinfectant materials.

Hospitals: Disinfectants

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used in the NHS to decide whether a disinfectant product is sporicidal; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Data demonstrating a pass for the British Standard BS EN13704:2002 test Quantitative suspension test for the evaluation of sporicidal activity of chemical disinfectants used in food, industrial, domestic and institutional areas are generally used to establish whether a chemical disinfectant has or does not have sporicidal activity. Purchase of disinfectant products is a matter for local national health service bodies.

Hospitals: Pigmeat

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of pork served in hospitals in  (a) East Devon constituency,  (b) the South West and  (c) England was locally sourced in the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: The recently published Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative report by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for 2007-08 estimated that 99 per cent. of the pork sourced from the national health service Supply Chain's contracts was British and, within this, 47 per cent. of bacon sourced by NHS Supply Chain, was British. NHS Supply Chain calculate that approximately 75 per cent. of trusts purchase from their meat and poultry contract.
	NHS trusts do not have to purchase from this central contract. They are able to award their own contracts and information about these contracts is not held centrally. To get accurate, up to date information from particular NHS regions or trusts, the hon. Member may wish to contact them direct.

Injuries: Firearms

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished admission episodes there were for gunshot wounds in each NHS trust in each of the last 10 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Information is collected on the number of finished admission episodes to hospital. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
	The following table provides data on finished admission episodes for gunshot wounds by each strategic health authority area of residence. It is not possible to provide a response to this question for each national health service trust as the numbers involved are mostly very small and many of them would need to be suppressed in order to preserve confidentiality. The ICD-10 codes used to identify a gunshot wound are included in the background notes to the table.
	It is important that the footnotes and clinical codes are consulted when interpreting the data in the table.
	
		
			  Total number of admissions to hospital where the patient had a cause code of a gunshot wound* broken down by Strategic Health Authority (SHA) of residence for the last 10 years: Activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  Number of admissions 
			   SHA of residence  2006 - 07  2005 - 06  2004 - 05  2003 - 04  2002 - 03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA  32 29 42 23 42 30 45 49 31 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA  19 16 41 26 21 26 25 14 15 
			 Q03 Essex SHA  21 26 27 29 25 27 37 32 24 
			 Q04 North West London SHA  50 43 71 52 32 29 26 18 35 
			 Q05 North Central London SHA  31 25 38 29 51 29 23 14 22 
			 Q06 North East London SHA  64 48 69 74 59 47 41 26 24 
			 Q07 South East London SHA  75 52 55 55 56 45 38 42 43 
			 Q08 South West London SHA  34 21 23 21 21 13 23 13 18 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA  22 31 35 30 47 52 49 51 41 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA  28 22 25 39 37 28 28 35 31 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA  41 35 46 41 47 40 29 32 15 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire SHA  69 64 82 83 101 67 63 54 57 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA  42 54 51 57 63 62 52 44 53 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester SHA  101 108 111 115 123 110 146 96 97 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA  108 98 116 85 97 69 74 72 58 
			 Q16 Thames Valley SHA  29 23 34 31 36 37 37 23 27 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA  27 24 34 19 32 27 32 23 26 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway SHA  26 33 32 30 47 28 14 20 24 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex SHA  39 44 40 28 42 27 25 39 31 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA  40 39 40 43 48 31 39 27 34 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula SHA  22 27 36 26 24 29 31 24 25 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset SHA  28 14 14 11 29 14 13 23 15 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire SHA  50 55 40 62 61 48 42 38 24 
			 Q24 Trent SHA  52 46 74 83 69 46 66 63 54 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA  19 22 25 16 28 28 27 25 32 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA  23 14 25 29 28 29 37 28 30 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA  67 73 76 89 86 62 59 27 50 
			 Q28 West Midlands South SHA  38 44 37 28 21 24 26 22 18 
			 Q30 North East SHA 71  
			 Q31 North West SHA 278  
			 Q32 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 138  
			 Q33 East Midlands SHA 96  
			 Q34 West Midlands SHA 172  
			 Q35 East of England SHA 103  
			 Q36 London SHA 209  
			 Q37 South East Coast SHA 73  
			 Q38 South Central SHA 57  
			 Q39 South West SHA 79  
			 U England  Not otherwise specified 3 15 7 13 8 8 0   2 
			  Other/Unknown/Foreign SHAs 36 21 26 18 25 39 18 23 13 38 
			  Total 1,315 1,233 1,163 1,370 1,287 1,420 1,122 1,170 987 994 
		
	
	
		
			  Rates per 100,000 of population 
			   SHA of Residence  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03  2001-02  2000-01  1999-2000  1998-99  1997-98 
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA  1.41 1.29 1.89 1.05 1.93 1.38 2.09 2.28 1.46 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA  1.16 0.98 2.53 1.61 1.31 1.63 1.58 0.89 0.96 
			 Q03 Essex SHA  1.27 1.58 1.65 1.78 1.55 1.68 2.32 2.02 1.52 
			 Q04 North West London SHA  2.73 2.38 3.95 2.89 1.79 1.65 1.51 1.06 2.07 
			 Q05 North Central London SHA  2.50 2.04 3.12 2.39 4.25 2.45 1.97 1.21 1.91 
			 Q06 North East London SHA  4.17 3.13 4.50 4.83 3.88 3.13 2.76 1.77 1.65 
			 Q07 South East London SHA  4.91 3.43 3.64 3.63 3.69 2.99 2.55 2.85 2.94 
			 Q08 South West London SHA  2.57 1.60 1.76 1.61 1.61 1.01 1.80 1.03 1.43 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA  1.58 2.23 2.51 2.15 3.37 3.72 3.49 3.61 2.89 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA  2.43 1.91 2.18 3.40 3.23 2.44 2.44 3.04 2.69 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA  2.44 2.10 2.79 2.50 2.89 2.47 1.80 1.99 0.93 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire SHA  3.22 3.02 3.90 3.96 4.85 3.23 3.04 2.60 2.75 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA  2.16 2.79 2.65 2.98 3.31 3.26 2.74 2.31 2.79 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester SHA  3.97 4.26 4.39 4.57 4.89 4.37 5.80 3.81 3.85 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA  4.59 4.17 4.93 3.62 4.12 2.93 3.14 3.04 2.44 
			 Q16 Thames Valley SHA  1.35 1.08 1.61 1.47 1.71 1.77 1.78 1.11 1.31 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight SHA  1.48 1.33 1.89 1.06 1.80 1.52 1.81 1.31 1.49 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway SHA  1.60 2.05 2.00 1.89 2.97 1.78 0.90 1.29 1.55 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex SHA  1.50 1.70 1.55 1.09 1.64 1.06 0.98 1.55 1.24 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA  1.79 1.76 1.82 1.97 2.21 1.43 1.81 1.26 1.60 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula SHA  1.35 1.67 2.25 1.63 1.52 1.85 2.00 1.56 1.63 
			 Q22 Dorset and Somerset SHA  2.31 1.16 1.16 0.92 2.43 1.18 1.11 1.96 1.29 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire SHA  3.88 4.30 3.14 4.88 4.82 3.79 3.31 2.98 1.88 
			 Q24 Trent SHA  1.92 1.71 2.77 3.13 2.62 1.76 2.53 2.42 2.08 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA  1.18 1.38 1.58 1.02 1.80 1.81 1.75 1.63 2.10 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA  1.52 0.93 1.67 1.94 1.88 1.95 2.50 1.89 2.04 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country SHA  2.93 3.20 3.34 3.92 3.80 2.73 2.59 1.18 2.19 
			 Q28 West Midlands South SHA  2.45 2.85 2.40 1.83 1.38 1.58 1.72 1.46 1.20 
			 Q30 North East SHA 2.78  
			 Q31 North West SHA 4.06  
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber SHA 2.68  
			 Q33 East Midlands SHA 2.20  
			 Q34 West Midlands SHA 3.20  
			 Q35 East of England SHA 1.84  
			 Q36 London SHA 2.78  
			 Q37 South East Coast SHA 1.72  
			 Q38 South Central SHA 1.43  
			 Q39 South West SHA 1.54  
			  Notes:  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.  * Cause Code - Gunshot Wounds The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects. HES has used the following ICD-10 external cause codes when referring to gunshot wounds  Gunshot wounds: W32.- Handgun discharge W33.- Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge W34.- Discharge from other and unspecified firearms X72- Intentional self-harm by handgun discharge X73- Intentional self-harm by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge X74- Intentional self-harm by other and unspecified firearm discharge X93- Assault by handgun discharge X94- Assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge X95- Assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge Y22.- Handgun discharge, undetermined intent Y23.- Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge, undetermined intent Y24- Other and unspecified firearm discharge, undetermined intent Y35.0 Legal intervention involving firearm discharge Y36.4 War operations involving firearm discharge and other forms of conventional warfare.  Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  PCT/SHA data quality PCT and SHA data were added to historic data years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of treatment and SHA of treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of GP practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Maternity Services: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 16 of the NHS Operating Framework for 2009-10, what mechanisms there are to ensure that primary care trusts spend an additional 330 million on maternity services over the specified period.

Ann Keen: The 330 million announced for Maternity Matters covers three years, 2008-09 to 2010-11 and is being included within primary care trust (PCT) revenue allocations.
	Increases in the maternity services tariff in 2008-09 and planned for 2009-10 will increase the flow of funds for each episode of maternity care. PCTs will also be developing and investing in local plans to deliver the improvements set out in the NHS Operating Framework.

Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust: Crimes of Violence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) doctors,  (b) nurses,  (c) consultants and  (d) auxiliary staff have been victims of violence in (i) accident and emergency areas in Broomfield Hospital and (ii) all hospitals in the Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust area in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Since 2004-05, the number of physical assaults against staff reported by NHS bodies has been collected annually by the National Health Service Security Management Service. This information is contained in tables showing the number of physical assaults on NHS staff reported in England for each of the years 2004-05 to 2007-08. These tables have already been placed in the Library.

Mid-Essex Primary Care Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department holds on the cost of the change of name of the Mid-Essex Primary Care Trust to NHS Mid-Essex.

Ben Bradshaw: The information requested is not held by the Department.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) have the freedom to choose whether or not they make the transition to the new identity, 'NHS Local' (rather than 'Local' PCT). In order to keep costs to a minimum, we advise that the transition is made when it is practically and economically feasible to do so through planned replacement programmes. This may be by, for example, exhausting existing supplies of stationery and updating property signage.
	You may wish to enquire with your local PCT for further information.

NHS Manpower: Oncologists

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many  (a) oncologists and  (b) trainee oncologists specialising in urology there are in each region;
	(2)  how many  (a) oncologists and  (b) trainee oncologists specialising in breast cancer there are in each region.

Ann Keen: The number of oncologists and trainee oncologists in each region is shown in the following tables. The NHS Workforce Census does not identify the area of specialty for oncologists or trainee oncologists.
	
		
			  Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Medical staff, showing Consultants and Doctors in Training and Equivalents( 1)  within the Urology specialty and the six main cancer specialties by Strategic Health Authority area, England as at 30 September 2007 
			  Number (headcount) 
			Clinical oncology  Clinical radiology 
			 Of which:   Of which: 
			All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents  All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents 
			  England 1,055 506 464 3,150 2,086 1,009 
			 
			 Q30 North East 48 26 17 152 101 51 
			 Q31 North West 115 62 46 456 311 141 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber 114 57 51 344 216 127 
			 Q33 East Midlands 89 44 40 228 146 79 
			 Q34 West Midlands 84 45 30 296 215 7 
			 Q35 East of England 137 68 59 273 186 80 
			 Q36 London 209 82 120 683 401 273 
			 Q37 South East Coast 46 31 13 153 19 20 
			 Q38 South Central 94 48 38 253 164 81 
			 Q39 South West 119 43 50 312 217 80 
			  Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies   
		
	
	
		
			  Number (headcount) 
			Haematology  Histopathology 
			 Of which:   Of which: 
			All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents  All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents 
			  England 1,360 680 52 637 1,111 502 
			 
			 Q30 North East 58 31 24 93 64 29 
			 Q31 North West 129 68 48 24 152 86 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber 115 52 54 181 117 63 
			 Q33 East Midlands 86 42 38 114 76 38 
			 Q34 West Midlands 129 63 58 164 122 0 
			 Q35 East of England 93 56 25 149 112 32 
			 Q36 London 377 169 184 321 22 106 
			 Q37 South East Coast 54 39 12 109 71 36 
			 Q38 South Central 92 4 33 129 83 43 
			 Q39 South West 125 70 41 133 102 29 
			  Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies 102 46 5
		
	
	
		
			  Number (headcount) 
			Medical oncology  Palliative medicine 
			 Of which:   Of which: 
			All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents  All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents 
			  England 614 225 326 444 202 176 
			 
			 Q30 North East 25 10 15 27 18 6 
			 Q31 North West 97 47 43 54 21 26 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber 69 26 38 90 22 54 
			 Q33 East Midlands 14 1 8 42 19 17 
			 Q34 West Midlands 43 13 24 2 16 22 
			 Q35 East of England 50 26 14 45 19 15 
			 Q36 London 205 62 125 52 36 12 
			 Q37 South East Coast 31 12 19 18 10 3 
			 Q38 South Central 34 1 19 46 20 17 
			 Q39 South West 46 17 21 28 21 4 
			  Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies   
		
	
	
		
			  Number (headcount) 
			Urology 
			 Of which: 
			All staff  Consultant  Doctors in training and equivalents 
			  England 148 528 740 
			  
			 Q30 North East 74 30 31 
			 Q31 North West 199 69 98 
			 Q32 Yorkshire and The Humber 14 57 80 
			 Q33 East Midlands 94 32 50 
			 Q34 West Midlands 143 63 67 
			 Q35 East of England 163 58 75 
			 Q36 London 303 9 174 
			 Q37 South East Coast 139 46 69 
			 Q38 South Central 87 33 43 
			 Q39 South West 109 41 53 
			  Special Health Authorities and other statutory bodies
			 (1) Doctors in Training and Equivalents is the term used to refer to people in the registrar group, foundation year 2 staff, senior house officers, house officers and foundation year 1 staff and other staff in equivalent grades who are not in an educationally approved post.  = denotes zero  Notes:  Data Quality: Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census

NHS: Cleaning Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health according to the most recent ERIC returns made to his Department, how much each NHS trust spent on cleaning services; what their audit score against national specifications for cleanliness for the NHS was; and how many whole time equivalent cleaning staff they employed.

Ann Keen: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	Estimates Returns Information Collection returns are not amended centrally and therefore their accuracy is the responsibility of the contributing national health service organisations.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to paragraph 3 on page 33 of the NHS Operating Framework for 2009-10, whether all surpluses will be spent by the organisations that generated them.

Ben Bradshaw: The surpluses generated are held locally and it will be for individual organisations to decide in conjunction with the direction and priorities agreed with their strategic health authorities and the priorities set out in the Operating Framework, how to invest their surplus for the benefit of their patients.

NHS: Manpower

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by the NHS in  (a) England and  (b) Gloucestershire in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The total number of staff employed within the national health service in England and Gloucestershire as of 30 September 2007 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  All NHS staff within Gloucestershire( 1) 
			  Numbers (headcount) and full-time equivalents 
			  As at 30 September 2007  headcount  fte 
			 England 1,331,109 1,089,436 
			  Of which:   
			 Gloucestershire(1) 13,375 10,234 
			 (1) Gloucestershire consists of the following organisations: South Gloucestershire PCT, Gloucestershire PCT and Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.  Notes:  Data Quality Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census. The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics. The Information Centre for health and social care. Non-Medical Workforce Census.

Primary Care Trusts: Telephone Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which primary care trusts use  (a) 084 telephone numbers and  (b) other telephone numbers that charge more than the local rate for calls from the public.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department does not hold this information centrally and it cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. However the Department remains clear that it does not expect patients to pay more than the equivalent cost of a local rate call when contacting the local national health service.
	We recently launched a public consultation on the intention to prohibit the use of 084 numbers in the NHS. This will run from 16 December 2008 until 31 March 2009.

Smoking

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults aged 35 and over were admitted to hospital with diseases caused by smoking in  (a) North Yorkshire and  (b) England in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the exact format requested. Data for 1996-97 are not available for both England and North Yorkshire. Figures for North Yorkshire County are not collected. Data for England and for North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trusts (PCT) are available for 2006-07.
	Detailed Information on specific diseases that can be caused by smoking for England 2006-07 is available from the Statistics on Smoking: England, 2008. This information can be found in table 5.2 on page 83. This publication has already been placed in the Library.
	Figures are available and provided on the number of admissions in National Health Service hospitals for those aged 35 and over with a primary diagnosis of diseases that can be caused by smoking and estimates of the number of those admissions that are attributable to smoking.
	The following table shows the number of admissions for those aged 35 and over with a primary diagnosis of various diseases that can be caused by smoking and estimates of the number of those admissions that can be attributed to smoking. Figures have been provided for 2006-07 in England and for North Yorkshire and York PCT. It is acknowledged that not all of the observed admissions included in the table will be attributable to smoking as there are other contributory factors to these diseases. Therefore the relative risks of these diseases for current and ex-smokers, compared to non-smokers have been used to estimate smoking-attributable admissions.
	
		
			  NHS( 1)  hospital admissions( 2)  for primary diagnosis( 3)  of diseases that can be caused by smoking and those attributable to smoking , 2006-07 
			Number 
			   Observed admissions( 4)  Smoking attributable admissions( 5) 
			 England 1,431,831 445,100 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 22,053 6,800 
			  Notes: (1) The data include private patients in NHS hospitals (but not private patients in private hospitals). (2) A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (3) The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and 7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. (4) Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data. Observed admissions only includes those where gender was recorded (5) Estimated attributable number, rounded to the nearest 100

Social Services: Children

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inspections the Healthcare Commission and its predecessor inspectorates has undertaken into Haringey Council in relation to services that relate to children since 2000.

Ann Keen: The Healthcare Commission, like its predecessor the Commission for Health Improvement, has no specific locus for inspections of local government. On occasion, the Healthcare Commission will work with other regulators. The Commission took part in a Joint Area Review of Haringey in 2006 and in the recent urgent review of safeguarding in Haringey. The Commission for Health Improvement was involved in the follow up to the Victoria Climbi report in 2003.

Strokes: East of England

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent progress has been made in  (a) Peterborough and  (b) the East of England in establishing in each health authority or trust a stroke care pathway; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The National Stroke Strategy mandates the establishment of stroke care networks. All proposed networks originally proposed have now been established and are expected to be fully functional by spring 2009. Details of the networks can be found on the Stroke Improvement programme website at:
	www.improvement.nhs.uk/stroke

Strokes: East of England

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is available in  (a) Peterborough and  (b) the East of England for patients who have undergone a stroke to receive support with communication skills; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: This information is not held centrally. However, the new national stroke strategy recognises that people who have had a stroke, including those with aphasia and other communication difficulties, will have specific support needs. The services which primary care trusts (PCTs) and local authorities provide for those people will depend on local needs and priorities. The strategy also makes clear that those with aphasia and related conditions should be involved in the planning of the support services they require.
	In addition to the funding that has gone to PCTs, central funding over three years will support implementation of the new national strategy, including 45 million to local authorities to help them develop or accelerate their existing provision of long-term support to those who live with the effects of a stroke. We expect that PCTs and local authorities will use the funding available to meet these needs in line with local needs and priorities.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Computers

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many laptops his Department owns which are  (a) encrypted and  (b) unencrypted.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department's computers are provided to it under arrangements with its IT service provider.
	The Department has replaced all laptop computers that had not been installed with encryption software with encrypted laptops as part of its review of data security. Currently all departmental laptops that are used to store and process personal data have to be encrypted, and employees are prohibited from using non-encrypted laptop computers.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 398W, on departmental data protection, where the data centres are located; who manages them; and what steps have been taken to test their physical security.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Data Centres used by the Department are located in North East England and are managed, on behalf of the Department, by EDS. Regular tests and formal audits are undertaken by both EDS and the Department to ensure that physical security barriers, controls and processes associated with their operation and effectiveness conform to agreed requirements. The tests are in line with Information Systems Security Standards (ISSS).

Departmental Freedom of Information

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 were made to his Department since 2005; how many requests were  (a) agreed to and  (b) refused in each of those years; how many refusals were subject to appeal to the Information Commissioner in each of those years; how many appeals were successful; if he will place in the Library copies of the material subsequently provided in each case; how much was spent by his Department opposing each appeal; which (i) consultants and (ii) law firms were employed by his Department in connection with each appeal; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Justice (Mr. Wills) on 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 507W.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's  (a) current and  (b) planned IT programmes and projects are; and what the planned (i) budget and (ii) timescale of each is.

Jonathan R Shaw: Although the Department does not have any discrete IT projects, it has a number of projects and programmes that include changes to, or new, IT to a greater or lesser extent. We have included in the following table:
	The projects and programmes currently on the Department's portfolio where the IT element of the project or programme results in the development and/or implementation of services that underpin the delivery of departmental business;
	The investment costs of the project/programme. Costs of running the solutions implemented by the projects and programmes are not included as in the vast majority of cases they are more than compensated for by the financial benefits they generate.
	Initiatives that are associated with ongoing system improvements or enhancements as part of business as usual have not been included.
	For all programmes or projects the costs and reported completion dates relate to the total project or programme and not only the IT element.
	
		
			  Project  Purpose  (i) Latest forecast (million)  (ii) Planned timescale 
			 Employment and Support Allowance The project delivers the systems, processes and training to support delivery of the new Employment and Support Allowance. 295 October 2008 
			 Customer Information System(1) This project will deliver a database of key citizen information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. personal details computer system and departmental central index, and become their replacement. Consideration is being given for wider use of CIS by other Government Departments. 88 December 2008 
			 
			 Central Payments System A modern integrated central payment engine and accounts payable system to improve accounting for benefit/pension payments, reduce risks of service failure, increased speed and efficiency, and information for improved customer service and reduced fraud and error. 178 December 2011 
			 
			 Pensions Transformation Programme The programme will transform The Pension Service, bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer service and deliver efficiencies. 598 2010-11 
			 
			 Method of Payment Reform Programmes Method of Payment Reform Programmes will develop modern, electronic, secure and efficient methods of payments for customers who require payment by an alternate means other than direct payment to bank accounts. 48 March 2011 
			 
			 Lone Parent Obligations Lone Parents Obligations is part of welfare reform with the aim of increasing the lone parent employment rate. Currently lone parents are not required to seek employment until their youngest child reaches 16. Under new proposals to be phased in (starting with youngest child aged 12), lone parents will no longer be entitled to income support solely for being a lone parent if their youngest child is above seven. In the last year before entitlement ceases, work focused interviews will take place to encourage lone parents to take up training opportunities, leading to employment. 21 February 2011 
			 
			 Disability and Carers Service Change Programme This is an over-arching transformation programme for disabled people and their carers designed to move PDCS towards a business transformation that addresses people, partners, process, and puts the customer experience at the heart of their transformation plans, in line with the wider departmental strategy 69 March 2010 
			 
			 Pension Reform Delivery Programme To co-ordinate, manage and deliver a range of measures and consequential impacts which will establish a new structure for the UK Pension System long term. 118 December 2010 
			 
			 Document Repository Service This project seeks to support the Department's modernisation programmes through the provision of a document repository to store digitised images of documents received from customers (letters, faxes, e-mails etc.), cutting down paper in the organisation. 10 March 2009 
			 
			 Data Centre Strategy(2) The project is addressing the ongoing continued threat of business service continuity with a replacement strategy for Washington Data Centre. 33 April 2011 
			 
			 Jobseekers Regime and Flexible New Deal This programme will replace and streamline the current New Deal programmes and will concentrate on tackling the challenging problems of those who remain unemployed despite a strong economy and historically low unemployment. The programme will include provision of obtaining skills and mandatory work experience for customers 19 October 2010 
			 
			 DWP Change Programme This programme brigades a number of complementary initiatives to deliver the DWP Business Vision. It includes projects to bring in continuous improvement using lean techniques which should allow greater customer focus and efficiency in our process and business improvement projects to allow greater access to information. 246 March 2011 
			 
			 Provider Referrals and Payment Project Deploy an IT system to automate and e-enable payment transactions between Jobcentre Plus and training providers. 18 June 2010 
			 
			 Local Services Integration programme(3) To provide local services with an IT solution that supports the end to end process making administration more efficient. 15 December 2011 
			 Government connect(4) To roll out a secure data network connecting Government and local authorities, including secure file transfer, e-mail and web-browser capability 33 March 2011 
			 (1 )Customer Information System (CIS)The original expected completion date was March 2008 based on the date of the planned migration of Legacy Benefit System data. However, to minimise the risks associated with this approach a phased implementation was planned. The dates for this phased approach are:  Start of MigrationMarch 2008  Completion of phased rolloutJune 2008  Final Technical ReleaseOctober 2008  Project closureDecember 2008 (2 )Data Centre StrategyThe planned timescale for completion is April 2011. This was reported previously in error as end of 2010. The project plans are not delayed. (3 )Local Services Integration Programmethis project is relatively new to the Department's Portfolio and is in addition to those published in the NAO Report on DWP IT programmes November 2008. (4 )Government Connectalso a recent addition to the Department's portfolio since the NAO report. 33 million forecast spend are the total costs of this cross government programmefunded by DWP (8 million), Communities and Local Government (19 million) and Department for Children and Families (6 million).  Note: The Child Support Agency, Operational Improvement Programme was included in the NAO list of projects but is excluded here. On 1 November 2008, responsibility for the Child Support Agency was transferred from the Secretary of State for DWP to the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. The Commission is a Crown non-departmental public body (NDPB) which operates at arms length from the Department.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what delays against original IT project timetables have been experienced on IT projects being undertaken by his Department and its agencies; and what  (a) the reasons for delay and  (b) corrective action taken were in each case.

Jonathan R Shaw: Although the Department does not have any discrete IT projects, it has a number of projects and programmes that include changes to, or new, IT to a greater or lesser extent. We have included in the following table:
	The projects and programmes currently on the Department's portfolio where the IT element of the project or programme results in the development and/or implementation of services that underpin the delivery of departmental business.
	The investment costs of the project/programme. Costs of running the solutions implemented by the projects and programmes are not included as in the vast majority of cases they are more than compensated for by the financial benefits they generate.
	Initiatives that are associated with ongoing system improvements or enhancements as part of business as usual have not been included.
	For all programmes or projects the costs and dates reported relate to the total project or programme and not only the IT element.
	The following table identifies, in respect of those projects for which there has been a delay on early business case estimates, the programme/project purpose, original planned completion date, latest expected completion date and the reason for any delay.
	Overall, the Department has a very strong track record in delivering major and complex change involving IT, of which the successful introduction of the employment and support allowance is the most recent example. But, we are always seeking to improve our project management and governance processes. In particular:
	Strict project governance arrangements apply to all significant changes on time scales, scope, cost and tolerances;
	At each key stage, projects are reviewed to establish whether they continue to align with business needs;
	Requests for scope change are reviewed and often revised to offset the need for other investment through new or separate projects; and
	Original assumptions about scope, time scales and costs at strategic outline business case stage are inevitably open to later variation after proof of concept/initial design. At the critical design stage this informs more robust planning of time scales, costs and deliverables which are re-baselined as necessary.
	At each stage of this process project plans are subject to rigorous scrutiny to ensure that they continue to fit with Departmental strategy and continue to deliver value for money.
	
		
			  Project  Purpose  Original planned completion date  Expected completion date  Reason for dela y 
			 Customer Information System(1) This project will deliver a database of key citizen information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. Personal Details Computer System, and Departmental Central Index, and become their replacement. Consideration is being given for wider use of CIS by other Government Departments. September 2007 December 2008 During the design stage of the project, the original timetable was impacted by emerging IT complexities relating to the interfaces between the new system and existing systems in the Department. Additionally decisions were taken to phase data migration from the old to new system to reduce risk and safeguard data integrity. 
			  
			 Central Payments System(2) A modern integrated central payment engine and accounts payable system to improve accounting for benefit/pension payments, reduce risks of service failure, increased speed and efficiency, and information for improved customer service and reduced fraud and error. October 2006 December 2011 During project design, the need for developing additional system interfaces was identified. This was followed by a re-planning exercise and a significant increase in project scope. Contract for delivery was then renegotiated to realign the roles of the Department and the contractor. New contractual arrangements and project deliverables are now in place. 
			 Pensions Transformation Project The programme will transform THE Pension Service, bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer service and deliver efficiencies. March 2007 2010-11 Significant changes in phased implementation plans were approved to reduce the risk to operational delivery and customer service. The project is now running over a much longer time period to support implementation. 
			  
			 Method of Payment Reform Programmes Method of Payment Reform Programmes will develop modern, electronic, secure and efficient methods of payments for customers who require payment by an alternate means other than direct payment to bank accounts. July 2008 March 2011 The end-date for the Programme was always planned to be March 2011. An earlier date of July 2008 was reported mistakenly in a previous response. This was the delivery date of an early phase of this programme. 
			  
			 Fraud Referrals and Interventions Management System(3) Fraud Referrals and Intervention Management System aims to deliver modernised Programme Protection activity. October 2007 June 2008 Additional system releases were approved while this project was still in implementation planning phase. This resulted in some months delay to expected completion time scales. 
			  
			 Disability and Carers Service Change Programme This is an overarching Transformation Programme for disabled people and their carers designed to move PDCS towards a business transformation that addresses people, partners, process, and puts the customer experience at the heart of their transformation plans, in line with the wider Departmental Strategy. 2009 March 2010 This project scope was extended to include the child and intervention strategy leading to longer delivery time scales to accommodate additional requirements. 
			  
			 Pension Reform Delivery Programme To co-ordinate, manage and deliver a range of measures and consequential impacts which will establish a new structure for the UK Pension System long term. April 2010 December 2010 Implementation is planned from April 2010, consistent with early estimate of time scales. The date of December 2010 refers to the project closure date. 
			  
			 Document Repository Service This project seeks to support the Department's modernisation programmes through the provision of a document repository to store digitised images of documents received from customers (letters, faxes, e-mails etc.), cutting down paper in the organisation. November 2008 March 2009 March 2009 reflects the project closure date. Implementation of a pilot started in November 2008 as planned. 
			  
			 Provider Referrals and Payment Project Deploy an IT system to automate and e-enable payment transactions between Jobcentre Plus and training providers. April 2009 June 2010 An increased scope was agreed to incorporate policy developments for the flexible approach to New Deal programmes. This will deliver a more comprehensive and efficient IT provider payment support tool. 
			 (1 )Customer Information System (CIS)The original expected completion date was March 2008 based on the date of the planned migration of Legacy Benefit System data. However, to minimise the risks associated with this approach a phased implementation was planned. The dates for this phased approach are: Start of MigrationMarch 2008 Completion of phased rolloutJune 2008 Final Technical ReleaseOctober 2008 Project closureDecember 2008 (2) Central Payments System (CPS)this project was originally part of the Payment Modernisation Programme but later assumed project status in its own right. (3 )Fraud Referrals and Interventions Management SystemThis project has now completed and is closed. The NAO report included, in error, additional expected completion dates in 2009. These were for further system releases and not part of the original system development.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which IT projects in his Department are running above the original agreed budget; what the cause of budget overrun is in each case; what corrective action has been taken in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Although the Department does not have any discrete IT projects, it has a number of projects and programmes that include changes to, or new, IT to a greater or lesser extent. We have included in the following table:
	The projects and programmes currently on the Department's Portfolio where the IT element of the project or programme results in the development and/or implementation of services that underpin the delivery of departmental business;
	The investment costs of the project/programme. Costs of running the solutions implemented by the projects and programmes are not included as in the vast majority of cases they are more than compensated for by the financial benefits they generate;
	Initiatives that are associated with ongoing system improvements or enhancements as part of business as usual have not been included.
	For all programmes or projects the costs and dates reported relate to the total project or programme and not only the IT element.
	The following table identifies, in respect of those projects for which there has been a cost overrun on early business case estimates, the programme/project purpose and reason for budget overrun.
	Overall, the Department has a very strong track record in delivering major and complex change involving IT, of which the successful introduction of the employment and support allowance is the most recent example. But we are always seeking to improve our project management and governance processes. In particular:-
	Strict project governance arrangements apply to all significant changes on cost, scope and tolerances;
	At each key stage, projects are reviewed to establish whether they continue to align with business needs; and
	Original cost estimates are regularly reviewed at each stage in the project lifecycle;
	It should also be noted that the scope of projects can change as they pass through the project lifecycle and as plans and costs become more robust. At each stage of this process they are subject to rigorous scrutiny to ensure that they continue to fit with departmental strategy and continue to deliver value for money.
	
		
			  Project  Purpose  Originally agreed Budget (i)  ( million)  Current forecast costs (ii)  ( million)  Reason for Budget overrun (iii) 
			 Customer information system This project will deliver a database of key citizen information to be shared across DWP. The database will complement information currently available in the Department's key customer information systems, i.e. personal details computer system and departmental central index, and become their replacement. Consideration is being given for wider use of CIS by Other Government Departments. 40 88 The original timetable was impacted by IT complexities identified at the design stage. Later decisions were taken to phase the migration of data from the old to the new system to reduce risk and safeguard data integrity. The additional work to resolve the IT issues and manage the project to revised timescales resulted in additional costs. 
			 Central payments system A modern integrated central payment engine and accounts payable system to improve accounting for benefit/pension payments, reduce risks of service failure, increased speed and efficiency, and information for improved customer service and reduced fraud and error. 90 178 Significant extension of project scope was approved to include the development of interfaces with additional benefit systems. This resulted in re-planned delivery dates and an increase in system development and project costs. 
			 Pensions transformation project The programme will transform The Pension Service, bringing together business and IT change in ways that improve customer service and deliver efficiencies. 429 598 Significant changes in phased implementation plans were put in place to a reduce risks to operational delivery and customer service. The project is now running over a much longer time period to support implementation which has led to the increase in costs. 
			 Method of Payment Reform programmes Method of Payment Reform programmes will develop modern, electronic, secure and efficient methods of payments for customers who require payment by an alternate means other than direct payment to bank accounts.  48 The cost of the programme was revised as its scope developed. Overall the project costs have risen with an increase in IT costs although costs of converting to new business processes have decreased. 
			 Lone parent obligations Lone parents obligations is part of welfare reform and intends increasing the lone parent employment rate. Currently lone parents are not required to seek employment until their youngest child reaches 16. Under new proposals to be phased in (starting with youngest child aged 12), lone parents will no longer be entitled to income support solely for being a lone parent if their youngest child is above seven. In the last year before entitlement ceases, work focused interviews will take place to encourage lone parents to take up training opportunities, leading to employment 9 21 Following consultation with external stakeholders and the Social Security Advisory Committee, a series of design and timing changes have resulted in increased costs. The changes are aimed at making transition as easy as possible for lone parents. 
			 Fraud referrals and interventions management system Fraud referrals and intervention management system aims to deliver modernised programme protection activity 12 30 From September 2007, the programme board approved three additional system releases while the project was still in delivery mode. While this added to the system functionality, it also increased total project costs. The project completed in 2008. 
			 Document repository service This project seeks to support the Department's modernisation programmes through the provision of a document repository to store digitised images of documents received from customers (letters, faxes, e-mails etc.), cutting down paper in the organisation. 6 10 Higher test environment costs and revised costs to put in place more robust audit/management functionality than originally planned resulted in an increase in total project costs. 
			 Jobseekers regime and flexible new deal(1) This programme will replace and streamline the current new deal programmes and will concentrate on tackling the challenging problems of those who remain unemployed despite a strong economy and historically low unemployment. The programme will include provision of obtaining skills and mandatory work experience for customers 17 19 Implementation plans were changed slightly to incorporate a phased approach to delivery. This has resulted in a small increase in overall project costs. 
			 DWP Change programme This programme brigades a number of complementary initiatives to deliver the DWP Business Vision. It includes projects to bring in continuous improvement using lean techniques which should allow greater customer focus and efficiency in our process and business improvement projects to allow greater access to information. 245 246 Forecast costs have increased marginally but will be contained within the original budget and managed through the normal governance process. 
			 Provider referrals and payment project Deploy an IT system to automate and e-enable transactions between Jobcentre Plus and training providers. 17 18 Costs have increased marginally and are within tolerance. These will be monitored through normal governance processes. 
			 (1) Jobseekers regime and flexible new deal projectthe project budget excludes any costs associated with staff exits which may result from this project. A higher figure representing total business case costs was reported to NAO (this includes estimated exit costs). Exit costs associated with projects are held centrally and are regularly are reviewed as they are often avoidable.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons the number of his Department's IT staff have fallen every year since 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department's successful drive to increase the efficiency of its IT organisation has enabled it to reduce the number of its IT staff. This has been achieved through investment in improving staff skills, including the adoption of industry standard qualifications and best practice.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's critical IT systems are.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department has 149 major application systems currently supported by its existing hosting contract(s) which are listed. All of these systems are considered critical to the Department's business.
	
		
			  App (Short Name)  App (Long Name/Description) 
			 ATAS Audit Trail Analysis Service (amended from System) 
			 ATS Appeals Tracking System 
			 BAS Benefits Adviser Service 
			 BAMS Benefits Agency Medical Service 
			 BCS Business Controls System 
			 BDBSH Birkenhead Dis Ben Syst Healthcheck (A) 
			 BEL Benefit Enquiry Line 
			 BIS Business Information system 
			 BOC Better off Calculator 
			 BCS Business Controls System 
			 CA (GB) Carer's Allowance formally known as ICA 
			 CA (NI) Carer's Allowance (Northern Ireland) 
			 CA Online Carer's Allowance Online 
			 CBS Call Booking System 
			 CFS Contract and Funding System 
			 ChIS Childcare Information System 
			 CIB Corporate Integration Backbone Services 
			 CIS Customer Information System 
			 CMS Customer Management System 
			 CMS MIS Customer Management System Management Information System 
			 CMS NISSA Customer management System Northern Ireland Social Security Agency 
			 Comet Comet 
			 Complaints Complaints Database 
			 CPP Common Payments Package 
			 CRU Compensation Recovery Unit 
			 CRU NI Compensation Recovery Unit NI 
			 CRU On-line Compensation Recovery Unit Online 
			 CRU les Compensation Recovery Unit Interactive e services 
			  CSA Accounting  
			 CSR Accounting (BMS/R) CSR Accounting (BMS/R) 
			 CSA DMS (GB) CSA Debt Management System 
			 CSCS Child Support Computer System 
			  CSCS Training  
			 CSIMS Customer Services Incident Management System 
			 CSR (CS2) CSR (Child Support 2) 
			 DACS (NI) Disability and Carers System (Northern Ireland) 
			 DBS Departmental Briefing System 
			 DCDB FD DCDB Fraud Database 
			 DIS Departmental Interface Server Replacement 
			 DiSC Disability Services Client System 
			 DLA (NI) Disabled Living Allowance Northern Ireland 
			 DLACS/AACS Disability Living Allowance /Attendance Allowance 
			 DM Debt Management (including DM Ml) 
			 DMAS Decision Making and Appeal System 
			 DMS Debt Management System 
			 DRS Document Repository System 
			 ECFPOD Electronic Claim Form Pensions Overseas Direct 
			 EDON/DVI Direct Vacancy Input 
			 ELES ESA LegaSuite Enquiry Service 
			 Elise Elise 
			  Empower  
			 eNIRS JC+ eNIRS JC+ 
			 ERM Employer Relationship Management 
			 ESA CAM Employment Support Allowance Customer Account Management 
			 ESA VME Employment Support Allowance VME 
			 ETD Electronic Transfer of Data 
			 FAMIS (PP) FAMIS Payroll  Personnel 
			 FAMIS ACC FAMIS Accounting 
			 FAMIS Ingres FAMIS Ingres 
			 FAO Financial Accounting Operations 
			 FAS Financial Assistance Scheme 
			 FRAIMS Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System 
			 FSD Flexible Service Delivery 
			 GMS Generalised Matching Service 
			 HBMS Housing Benefits Matching System 
			 HBSDC Housing Benefit Subsidy Data Collection 
			 HQ Library HQ Library 
			 leS Core leS Core 
			 IICS Industrial Injuries Computer System 
			 IJB Internet Job Bank 
			 INCAP See PSCS/Incap 
			 ISCS Income Support Computer System 
			 ISCS(NI) Income Support Computer System Northern Ireland 
			 ITG online Integration Services Online (Provides new applications with online access to legacy applications which includes the following components: Integration Services Online for PFS, CMS, NTC, CSR and BMSR 
			 ITG batch Integration Services Batch (Provides new applications with batch access to legacy applications which includes the following components: Integration Services Batch for PFS, CMS, NTC, CSR, BMSR, WFI(P), RM, PXP, CRU, DLA, KFEM, LPS, LMS, NOL, OB, PCFE, GIREC, SIS, VA, DEBTMAN, FNCS, HBSDC, IPBA, IRDEG, NAFM). 
			 IWB In Work Benefit 
			 JABS Jobseeker Attendance Band System 
			 JBA Job Broking Access 
			  Job Broking Access for Partners  
			 Job Warehouse Job Warehouse 
			 JSAPS Jobseeker's Allowance Payments System 
			 Jobpoint KMS Jobpoint Kiosk Management Service 
			 JSMA Jobcentre Search and Match app 
			 LFR Leeds File Registry 
			 LMDW Labour Market Data Warehouse 
			 LMS Labour Market System 
			 LMSMI Labour Market System Management Information 
			 LO/DO/RO/HO/ OA Office Automation 
			 LPS Local Payment System 
			 MD Mesothelioma Database 
			 MFSR (Opstrat Access) Multi Function Servers providing access to opstrat applications which includes the following component: 
			  MFSR DFP Web Logic Application 
			 MFSR (Printer Access) Multi Function Servers providing access to opstrat printing. 
			 MOP Method of Payment Application - CCMS 
			 MI Challenge Database MI Challenge Database 
			 MPS Course booking system 
			 MyDWP MyDWP 
			 NDDP New Deal for Disabled People database - client management system AKA NDDP CMS 
			 New Deal for Disabled People Duplicate of NDDP 
			 NDEMI New Deal Management Information 
			 NIRS1 National Insurance Recording Systems 1 
			 NOL Notification Online 
			 NOL/DLA Notification Online / Disabled Living Allowance 
			 NTC New Tax Credits 
			 OAS Overseas Awarding System 
			 OLE OLE and Trusted Channel 
			 OVBII Overseas Branch Industrial Injuries 
			 PACS Payment Accounting Computer System 
			 PCC Parliamentary Correspondence 
			 PCFE Pension Credit Front End 
			 PDS2000 Pensions Direct System 2000 
			 PDES Pension Direct Enquiry Service 
			 PENS Penserver 
			 PFS PFS 
			 PFS MIS Pensions Forecasting System MIS 
			 PIB PTP Integration Backbone Application 
			  PSCS (NI)  
			 PSCS/lncap Pensions Services and Incapacity Benefit Computer System 
			 PSOD Pension Sharing on Divorce 
			 PTP Pension Transformation Programme (excluding the PxP PTP component, but including the following components: PTP Siebel Application, eDocs, PTP Bank Wizard, PTP QAS Application) 
			 PxP Push and Pull 
			 RATS Reassessment Appeals Tracking System 
			 Respond Respond Pensions and ICE 
			 RDAS Referral and Data Analysis Service 
			 RMS Resource Management System 
			 Rightfax Rightfax 
			 RKMS Remote Kiosk Management System 
			 RTPF Real Time Pensions Forecasting 
			 RPTC Retirement Pension teleclaims for Northern Ireland 
			 Self Serv Portal Self Service Portal 
			 SFAS Social Fund Accounting System 
			 3FCS Social Fund Computer System 
			  SFCS (NI)  
			 SIDDB Sustainability in DWP Database 
			 SPVAFS Service Personnel and Veterans Agency Futures Suite 
			 Spyts Special Payments (including CSA) 
			 SSP Small Systems Platform (Assaults and Accidents Database(AAD), Disability and Discrimination Database (DDB), Electronic Filing System (EFS), Official Correspondence Database (OCD), Under 18 Support Team (UEST) 
			 STARS Storage and Retrieval System 
			 TeS Tactical E-Services 
			 TPJB Third Party Job Bank 
			 VME PROXY VME PROXY 
			 WFES Winter Fuels Enquiry Service 
			 WFPS Winter Fuel Payment System 
			 WFTC Working Families Tax Credit/Disabled Person's Tax Credit 
			  WFTC/DPTC  
			  WFTC/DPTC (NI)  
			 Workstep Workstep 
			  WPCS (WPKI)  
			 WPCS (WPKI) War Pensions Computer System

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to become an intelligent customer in IT procurement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department re-aligned its IT contracts to enable it to procure industry standard services at market prices. This has also allowed the Department to substantially reduce its IT spend at the same time as improving the quality of the services procured.
	Operational processes have been aligned with industry standard principles, ITIL (IT Information Library) or CMMi (Capability Maturity Model Integration) to maximise the efficiency of procurement and management of IT service delivery. The professional skills of the Department's IT staff have been improved to match.
	Supplier governance has been strengthened through regular meetings at a strategic and operational level to review contract performance based on contractually agreed management information requirements. Where necessary, service improvement steps are agreed as part of continuous service improvement plans.
	The Department also undertakes supplier intelligence analysis to identify market trends and monitor the financial stability of its key suppliers.
	These steps have delivered significant improvements in IT contract delivery; the Department's future plans build on the realigned contracts to make further progress in service improvement and value for money for its IT investment.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the performance of his Department's IT contracts with  (a) BT and  (b) EDS are measured; and how the relevant performance data are validated.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department's contracts with BT and EDS specify service levels and key performance indicators which measure critical and important performance parameters in line with industry best practice. They are measured and formally reported on 12 times a year at regular intervals. Following the same reporting cycle the accuracy of the reports generated by BT and EDS is formally validated and assured by the Department. These processes are underpinned by periodic audits.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance his Department issues on  (a) the methodology,  (b) project planning and  (c) risk and issue management of its IT projects.

Jonathan R Shaw: The standard project management methodology used within the Department is PRINCE2. Supporting this, the Department has developed a project delivery tool, known as the DWP Change Lifecycle. The Lifecycle, representing best practice and setting standards, is mandated for use by all projects within the Department.
	The DWP lifecycle also includes guidance on project planning, with a dedicated section relating to Planning and Estimating.
	Further planning and investment guidance is available to projects, such as HM Treasury's Green Book, and the Department's Investment Costing guidance.
	The Risk Management Framework formally describes the Department's approach to managing risks and issues. It incorporates internal and external good practice, from both the public and private sectors and is fully consistent with guidance set out in the HMT Orange BookManagement of Risk: Principles and Concept.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department maintains a register of its software licences.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department has contracted its service providers to create and maintain software licence registers for the software it uses.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department's IT projects are required to be supported by  (a) a project initiation document,  (b) a documented business case and  (c) a cost-benefit analysis.

Jonathan R Shaw: All projects are required to document the key information needed to correctly direct and manage them, including an overview of how the project will be carried out and its governance arrangements. All the Department's major projects detail this within the Project Initiation Document, however, for smaller scale projects with low costs or short timescales this information would be contained within the Business Case.
	All the Department's projects and programmes delivering change, including IT enabled projects, are required to produce a business case, which includes a cost-benefit analysis.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 399W, on departmental ICT, if he will place in the Library a copy of the risk management framework referred to in the answer.

Jonathan R Shaw: It is not in the interests of the Department's security arrangements for details to be published of the approaches that are taken in identifying and responding to particular risks to IT systems. Such information, if published, could assist those intent on undermining the Department's IT security, and could prejudice the Department's efforts to protect information, including personal data in respect of individuals. This is not in the public interest. I refer the hon. Member to the answer in the official record for 17 December 2008,  Official Report column 826W, which sets out the Department's approach to data and information security.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 400W, on departmental ICT, what priorities for improvement were identified as a result of the annual user satisfaction surveys in each of the last 10 years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department has conducted an IT and Telephony survey of staff in each of the last three years. The overall assessment of the Department's IT and telephony systems was positive in all three years. In each year scope for improvement of some IT applications and telephony were identified. Improvement programmes and better IT user guidance have been implemented as a result.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the Answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 400W, on departmental ICT, if he will place a copy in the Library of his Department's business contingency plans referred to in the Answer.

Jonathan R Shaw: It is not in the interests of the Department or its stakeholders to publish the detailed plans that apply to the protection of its business processes. To do so could enable individuals to deduce how successful the Department is in protecting its systems and identifying vulnerabilities, which might assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the Department's controls, or otherwise causing mischievous disruption to the Department. This would not be in the public interest.
	However the Department's Business Continuity policy and guidance documents are publicly available on the UK Resilience website:
	http://www.ukresilience.gov.uk/preparedness/ccact/good_practice/methodology.aspx

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 401W, on departmental ICT, which are the projects which have IT input.

Jonathan R Shaw: All 19 of the major business change programmes are supported by IT. They are listed in appendix 1 of the report of the National Audit Office to the Work and Pensions Select Committee (Department for Work and Pensions: Information Technology Programmes), a copy of which is in the Library. They include programmes which will improve the deployment of financial information, for example the Central Payment System, and programmes to deliver efficient and effective services to the Department's customers, for example the Department for Work and Pensions Change Programme.

Departmental ICT

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what IT systems are used to process each of his Department's benefits.

Jonathan R Shaw: The IT Systems used to process the Department's benefits are shown in the following table associated with the benefits they support.
	
		
			  IT System  Benefit or Allowance Supported 
			 Carers Allowance Computer System Carers Allowance 
			 Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance Computer System Attendance Allowance Disability Living Allowance 
			 Income Support Computer System (ISCS) Income Support Pension Credit Cold Weather Payments 
			 Industrial Injuries Computer System (IICS) Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit and Associated Benefits and Allowances(1) Industrial Death Benefit Pneumoconiosis, Bysinosis and Miscellaneous Diseases Benefit 
			 Jobseekers Allowance Payment System (JSAPS) Employment and Support Allowance Jobseekers Allowance Training Allowance Job Grant 
			 Pensions Strategic Computer System (PSCS) Bereavement Benefit Incapacity Benefit Maternity Allowance Severe Disablement Allowance (residual) State Pension Widows Benefit (residual) Job Grants for Incapacity benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance customers 
			 Social Fund Computer System Social Fund Crisis Payments Social Fund Budgetary Loans Sure Start Maternity Grants 
			 Winter Fuels Payment System Winter Fuel Payments 
			 (1) Industrial Injuries Computer System also administers the payment of associated allowances which are Constant Attendance Allowance, Exceptional Severe Disablement Allowance, Unemployability Supplement, Reduced Earnings Allowance and Retirement Allowance 
		
	
	In addition where a customer is already in receipt of benefit Winter Fuel Payments are also administered on the appropriate core benefit system.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expert advisers have been commissioned by his Department and its agencies since 1997; on what topic each was commissioned; and whether the adviser so appointed made a declaration of political activity in each case.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on advisers since 1997 is not held centrally and to compile a list, as requested, would incur disproportionate cost. The Department does make public appointments to public and ad-hoc bodies, and appoints special advisers. Since 2003, the Government have published an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers and the number in each pay band. Updated information will be published in the usual way.

Departmental Telephone Services

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what use  (a) his Department and  (b) service providers under contract to his Department make of (i) 0844 and 0845 telephone numbers and (ii) revenue-sharing telephone numbers for calls from members of the public; for which services such numbers are used; what prefixes are used for revenue-sharing numbers; how much revenue has accrued from revenue-sharing numbers in each of the last five years; what consideration his Department has given to introducing 03-prefixed telephone numbers for calls to all such services; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) (i) DWP and its executive agencies; Jobcentre Plus, Pension, Disability and Carers Service and Rent Service currently publish 129 primary 0845 numbers for calls from customers accessing their services. DWP do not have any 0844 numbers.
	
		
			   Number 
			  Jobcentre Plus  
			 7 x 0845 Initial Inquiry Lines e.g. Jobseeker Direct, Employer Direct, National Insurance etc. 7 
			 81 x 0845 Inquiry Lines to the 81 Benefit Delivery Centres 81 
			 20 x 0845 Social Fund 20 
			 6 x 0845 Maternity Allowance 6 
			 2 x 0845 Bereavement 2 
			   
			  PDCS Pensions  
			 9 x 0845 e.g. Tracing Helpline and E-claim helpline, Forecasting 9 
			   
			  PDCS Disability and Carers  
			 1 x 0845 Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance 1 
			   
			  Debt Management  
			 2 x 0845 RFE, Recovery 2 
			   
			  Rent Service  
			 1 x 0845 number Central Processing Unit, Washington 1 
		
	
	(ii) DWP do not have any revenue sharing numbers. We ceased any revenue sharing in December 2007. This had been worth circa 500,000 per annum. We do not have an exact breakdown for this and it would be difficult to obtain these figures.
	Following detailed consideration of the advantages and disadvantages, DWP have no plans to introduce 03 numbers at this time. This decision will be kept under review.
	 (b) Service providers under contract to the Departmentthis information is not readily available and initial inquiries have shown that the cost of obtaining it would be disproportionate.

Disability Living Allowance: Children

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much has been spent on disability living allowance for children in each year from 1990 to 2008; how much he estimates will be spent in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Disability living allowance expenditure for children 
			   million 
			   Nominal  2008-09 prices 
			 1992-93 231 347 
			 1993-94 325 474 
			 1994-95 365 524 
			 1995-96 437 611 
			 1996-97 443 597 
			 1997-98 489 641 
			 1998-99 529 679 
			 1999-2000 566 713 
			 2000-01 607 755 
			 2001-02 674 819 
			 2002-03 762 898 
			 2003-04 794 909 
			 2004-05 842 939 
			 2005-06 924 1,009 
			 2006-07 973 1,035 
			 2007-08 1,013 1,046 
			 2008-09(1) 1,058 1,058 
			 2009-10(1) 1,117 1,101 
			 (1) Forecast.  Note: Definition of children is those under the age of 16.  Source: DWP accounting and statistical data and autumn 2008 forecasts.

Electronic Data Systems

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether EDS will achieve capability maturity model integration levels 4 and 5 in the IT services they provide to his Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: EDS have provided the following statement:
	EDS achieved Capability Mature Model Integration (CMMI) level 3 in all its UK DWP Applications Services in May 2007. It intends to continue to improve the quality of the services it provides to the Department and plans to move from CMMI level 3 to CMMI level 5 in the UK by the end of 2010.

Employment: Discrimination

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether, following the European Court of Justice rulings in the case of Coleman  v. Attridge Law, he plans to make it an offence to harass or discriminate against anyone who is associated with someone with long-term medical conditions such as HIV.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 19 January 2009
	We are considering carefully the implications of the European Court of Justice's judgment in the case of Coleman  v. Attridge Law for the prohibition of direct discrimination and harassment in domestic disability discrimination.

Employment: Lone Parents

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department has made of the average income for a lone parent with a single child in their first year back into work if they worked on average  (a) 16 hours,  (b) 18 hours,  (c) 20 hours,  (d) 22 hours,  (e) 24 hours,  (f) 26 hours,  (g) 28 hours,  (h) 30 hours,  (i) 32 hours,  (j) 34 hours,  (k) 36 hours,  (l) 38 hours and  (m) 40 hours, per week in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: Information on the average income for a lone parent with a single child in their first year back into work is not available.
	The available information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Median net weekly income for lone parents with a single child in work by hours of work, 2006-07 
			  Number of hours worked per week  Median net weekly income () 
			 Under 20 248 
			 20-30 282 
			 30-40 324 
			 40 or over 403 
			 All 312 
			  Notes: 1. The Family Resources Survey (FRS) is a nationally representative sample of approximately 26,000 households. 2. Data for 2006-07 were collected between April 2006 and March 2007. 3. The figures are based on a sample of households which have been adjusted for non-response using multi-purpose grossing factors which align the FRS to Government Office Region populations by age and sex. Estimates are subject to sampling error and remaining non-response error. 4. The FRS does not collect details on when the respondent started work. So the estimates include lone parents who may always have been in work and never on benefits. 5. The categories for the number of hours worked have been grouped together owing to small sample sizes. 6. Weekly income is based on self-assessment and therefore may be subject to misreporting.  Source: Family Resources Survey

Industrial Health and Safety: Cancer

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to  (a) assist cancer survivors to return to work and  (b) raise awareness that cancer is covered by disability discrimination legislation.

Jonathan R Shaw: Jobcentre Plus offers a number of employment programmes which help disabled people gain and retain employment. These programmes are open to people with a range of disabilities, including those with cancer-related conditions.
	For example, customers in receipt of incapacity benefits or employment and support allowance can access Pathways to Work, which offers a series of interviews with a specialist personal adviser, a condition management programme and the possibility of financial incentives when the customer returns to work. Other customers who have a disability or health condition that affects them in the workplace can receive information and support from the disability employment adviser. The disability employment adviser can also provide access to a number of specialist programmes that can help them move into paid work, including, Access to Work, Work Preparation, Residential Training and Workstep, a programme of supported employment.
	Amendments were made to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, which included provisions to extend protection from disability discrimination for people with cancer effectively from the point of diagnosis. Following these changes, the Department ran a Disability Discrimination Act awareness-raising campaign called Adjusting for Better Business from December 2005 to May 2006. The Department continues to provide information about the Disability Discrimination Act, including the inclusion of people with cancer within the Disability Discrimination Act definition of disability, on both the DWP and the Directgov websites.
	Through the Employ ability programme, we are also engaging with employers to improve their understanding of disability and their attitudes towards employing disabled people.
	The key aims of Employ ability include challenging negative assumptions about the skills and talent that disabled workers, and those with long-term health conditions, have to offer, building the confidence of employers in recruiting and retaining disabled workers. Employ ability activity is aimed at small to medium-sized employers and is being rolled out to Scotland, Wales and seven English regions between 24 March 2008 and 27 February 2009.

Pensioners: Housing

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of pensioner households were  (a) owner-occupiers,  (b) social renters and  (c) private renters in 2007-08.

Iain Wright: I have been asked to reply.
	It is estimated from the 2007 Labour Force Survey that there were a total of 5,959,000 pensioner households in the period April to June 2007.
	Pensioner households are defined as those households where the household reference person has reached pensionable age. Currently, females reach pensionable age at 60; males reach pensionable age at 65.
	The estimated number of pensioner households by tenure in 2007 was as follows:
	
		
			  Estimated number of pensioner households by tenure, England, April to June 2007 
			  Housing tenure  Number of pensioner households  Percentage 
			 Owner-occupiers 4,346,000 72.9 
			 Social renters 1,312,000 22.0 
			 Private renters 297,000 5.0 
			 Not known 4,000 0.1 
			 Total 5,959,000 100.0 
			  Source: Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics

Poverty

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Department's estimate is of the number and proportion of adults  (a) who were out of work and in poverty and  (b) who had moved out of poverty as a result of moving into work in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information on the number and proportion of adults who were out of work and in poverty is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number and risk of working age adults living in households with incomes less than 60 per cent. of contemporary median household income who are not in work, before and after housing costs, United Kingdom 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			   Number (million)  Proportion (percentage)  Number (million)  Proportion (percentage) 
			 2002-03 3.4 37 4.3 47 
			 2003-04 3.3 37 4.3 47 
			 2004-05 3.2 35 4.0 44 
			 2005-06 3.4 37 4.3 47 
			 2006-07 3.5 38 4.5 48 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income, sourced from the Family Resources Survey and Low Income Dynamics data, sourced from the British Household Panel Survey. 2. Small changes should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using OECD equalisation factors. 6. Numbers of adults have been rounded to the nearest 100,000 and proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage. 7. Adults have been classified as workless if they are unemployed or economically inactive. 8. Adults have been classified as being of working age if they are 64 or below for men or 59 or below for women.  Source: Households Below Average Income 
		
	
	Information on the number and proportion of adults who had moved out of poverty as a result of moving into work is not available. Poverty is a complex and multidimensional issue with many different factors acting at the same time in moving individuals into or out of poverty.
	The risk of a working age adult who is working being in a low income household in the United Kingdom in 2006-07 is much lower at 7 per cent. (before housing costs) and 11 per cent. (after housing costs), than for workless working age adults, where the equivalent proportions are 38 per cent. (before housing costs) and 48 per cent. (after housing costs) as shown in the aforementioned table. Data from the Low Income Dynamics publication illustrate that an increase in the number of workers or full time workers in a household greatly increases the likelihood of that household moving out of low income. The Low Income Dynamics paper is available in the Library.

Poverty: Children

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many children are living in relative poverty in a working age single parent family; and how many of them are living in a family in which the adult is  (a) working full-time,  (b) working part-time and  (c) not working, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many children are living in relative poverty in a household with more than one working age parent, and how many of them are living in a household in which  (a) at least one of the adults is (i) working full-time and (ii) working part-time and  (b) neither parent is working, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: Available information is shown in the following tables.
	Child poverty statistics, published in the Households Below Average Income series, only allow a breakdown of the overall number of children in relative poverty at Government office region level or for inner or outer London, with no further tabulations available broken down by Government office region or by any lower geography.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers of children living in households with incomes below 60 per cent of median in 2006-07 in a working age lone parent family overall and by whether the adult is working full-time, working part-time or not working, United Kingdom 
			  Work status of working age lone parent family  Number of children 
			 All children in working age lone parent families 1,200,000 
			  of which:  
			 Parent is working full-time  
			 Parent is working part-time 200,000 
			 Parent is not working 900,000 
			  Source: Households Below Average Income, 2006-07 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Numbers of children living in households with incomes below 60 per cent of median in 2006-07 in a family with more than one working age parent by whether at least one of the adults is working full-time, at least one of the adults is working part-time or neither parent is working, United Kingdom 
			  Work status of family with more than one working age parent  Number of children 
			 All children in families with more than one working age parent 1,700,000 
			  of which:  
			 At least one parent is working full-time 1,000,000 
			 At least one parent is working part-time 500,000 
			 Neither parent working 400,000 
			  Indicates less than 50,000 children.  Notes: 1. Figures in table 1 may not sum due to rounding. 2. In table 2, the categories 'At least one parent is working full-time' and 'At least one parent is working part-time' are not disjoint, as families where one parent is working full-time and the other working part-time will be included in both categories. Figures therefore do not sum. 3. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 4. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 5. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures is single financial years. 6. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' series, which uses net disposable household income, adjusted (or equivalised) for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 7. Incomes have been equivalised using OECD equalisation factors.  8. Numbers of children have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand children. 9. Children have been counted as being in workless families where they are in lone parent families where the parent does not work or in couple families where both parents do not work. 10. Families have been included if the parent is of working age (i.e. 64 or below for men, 59 or below for women) for lone parent families and both parents are of working age for couple families. 11. An adult has been classified as working full-time if they are working for 31 or more hours per week, in line with the Households Below Average Income publication.  Source: Households Below Average Income, 2006-07

Social Fund

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much and what proportion of the Social Fund has been awarded in 2008-09 to date; how much has been awarded in  (a) crisis loans,  (b) budgeting loans and  (c) community care grants; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Discretionary Social Fund expenditure for Great Britain for April to December 2008 
			  Award type  Gross expenditure ( million)  Proportion of relevant 2008-09 budget (percentage) 
			 Crisis loans 117.1 n/a 
			 Budgeting loans 363.3 n/a 
			 Total loans 480.4 (1)89 
			 Community care grants 107.0 (2)76 
			 n/a = Not applicable (1) Of gross loans budget (2 )Of community care grant budget  Notes: 1. Gross expenditure includes awards made after review. 2. There are not separate gross budgets for crisis loans and budgeting loans, but rather a combined gross loans budget for both.  3. It is expected that an in-year allocation to the gross loans budget will be made before the end of the financial year. The proportion given above is based on the initial gross loans budget. 4. As well as the gross loans budget and the community care grant budget, there is a contingency reserve to support any Jobcentre Plus budget area that comes under pressure from unforeseen expenditure. This has not been included in the above proportions.  Source: DWP Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

State Retirement Pensions

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if his Department will consider the merits of allowing national insurance contributions of one half of a married couple over and above what is required to trigger entitlement to a full state pension to be transferred to a spouse if they have a shortfall in their own contributions.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 15 January 2009
	This is not a practicable proposal.
	The need for such a transfer mechanism will be very limited under the reformed state pension scheme because the majority of both men and women in the UKover 90 per cent. for those reaching state pension age in 2025will have entitlement to a full basic state pension and are therefore less likely than under the current scheme to need to access their spouses' contributions.
	It is not necessarily the case that qualifying years of contributions beyond those required for entitlement to a full basic pension are in effect surplus and not generating pension entitlement. State second pension will accrue on paid Class 1 contributions. Therefore on transferring the contributions from one spouse to another, the spouse donating the contributions would also be forfeiting any state second pension entitlement derived from them.
	Overall the complexity for both customers and staff inherent to such an arrangement could not be justified given the relatively low numbers it could potentially benefit in the future under the reformed scheme.

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's revised deadline is to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Government's intention is to achieve ratification of this important Convention at the earliest practicable opportunity, and our ambition is to do so in the spring of 2009.

Village Agent Scheme

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to assess the effectiveness of the Village Agent Scheme operating in Gloucestershire; and whether he plans to extend it, with particular reference to the greater take-up of benefits amongst older people.

Rosie Winterton: The Village Agents Scheme was part of our LinkAge Plus pilot project which tested a comprehensive approach for accessible joined-up services for older people; one which puts older people at the centre of policy making and service delivery.
	The current LinkAge Plus pilots ended their funded activity in October 2008 and each pilot is current finalising their individual pilot evaluations. All eight pilots have in the main sustained their activity, have secured funding and mainstreamed their activity to continue to deliver improved services for older people.
	The national evaluation of the project includes an objective of building an evidence base that supports the economic, as well as the social case for fully joined up/holistic services for older people and will report in the spring of 2009.
	In addition local evaluators have been appointed by each pilot to test the success of the projects in local terms. Their evidence will contribute to the national evaluation.
	We are already sharing lessons learned from the pilot activity in order to encourage continuing sustainable joined-up services for older people (for example through the new Social Care Reform Grant). This scheme has attracted considerable interest from other authorities who are currently in contact with Gloucestershire county council with a view to developing similar approaches.

Winter Fuel Payments

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the level of winter heating allowance which would need to be paid in order to prevent all excess winter deaths attributable to lack of heating.

Rosie Winterton: Although excess winter mortality is associated with low temperatures, conditions directly relating to cold, such as hypothermia, are not the main cause of excess winter mortality.
	Mortality in the winter months is consistently higher than at other times of the year. Although influenza and health complications arising from cold weather influence the number of excess winter deaths, lack of heating is only one contributing factor that may affect a particular case. It is not therefore possible to estimate a level of winter fuel payment that would prevent all excess winter deaths attributable to lack of heating.
	Winter fuel payments are one part of the overall Government programme to support vulnerable groups in winter. The programme also includes the annual seasonal influenza vaccination programme which offers free flu jabs to people most at risk from potentially life-threatening complications of flu; cold weather payments for vulnerable groups, which have been increased to 25 for 2008-09, and the Warm Front Scheme which focuses on improving home energy efficiency. Warm Front funding has been increased to over 950 million for the three-year period to March 2011 (with 50 million of the existing allocation being spent a year sooner than planned, ensuring that up to 30,000 vulnerable households will have less time to wait for their heating or insulation measures to be fitted).

Winter Fuel Payments: Cancer

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what financial support his Department makes available to cancer patients to assist them in meeting the cost of their heating bills; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: People with cancer may receive Winter Fuel Payments if they are aged 60 or over, giving older people reassurance that they can afford to heat their homes in winter. Cold Weather Payments are intended to help vulnerable groups on low incomes with the extra heating costs which result from periods of very cold weather that last, or are forecast to last, for seven days. For winter 2008-09 Cold Weather Payments have increased in value from 8.50 to 25. They are paid to people awarded Pension Credit, Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance when the temperature criteria are met for their area. Those receiving Income Support, income based Jobseeker's Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance during the assessment phase must also be receiving a pensioner or disability premium, or have a child who is disabled or under the age of five.
	People with cancer may also receive financial support through the disability benefits and the disability premiums in the income-related benefits in recognition of the extra costs, including heating, which they may have. These are spread over a 52 week period and can have a substantial annual value, up to around 8,000.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which local authorities not included in waves 1 to 6 of Building Schools for the Future have been allocated a flat rate of 8 million each for 14 to 19 and special educational needs spending.

Jim Knight: All 76 local authorities not included in waves 1 to 6 of Building Schools for the Future have been allocated 8 million of Targeted Capital Funding for 14 to 19 or special educational needs. They are:
	Barnet
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Bexley
	Bolton
	Bracknell Forest
	Brent
	Brighton and Hove
	Bromley
	Buckinghamshire
	Bury
	Calderdale
	Cheshire
	Cornwall
	Croydon
	Cumbria
	Darlington
	Devon
	Dorset
	Dudley
	East Riding of Yorkshire
	East Sussex
	Enfield
	Gloucestershire
	Hampshire
	Harrow
	Havering
	Herefordshire
	Hounslow
	Isle of Wight
	Kingston upon Thames
	Leicestershire
	Lincolnshire
	Medway
	Merton
	Milton Keynes
	Norfolk
	North Somerset
	North Tyneside
	North Yorkshire
	Northamptonshire
	Northumberland
	Oxfordshire
	Peterborough
	Plymouth
	Reading
	Redbridge
	Richmond upon Thames
	Rotherham
	Rutland
	Sefton
	Shropshire
	Slough
	South Gloucestershire
	Southampton
	Southend-on-Sea
	Staffordshire
	Stockport
	Surrey
	Sutton
	Swindon
	Thurrock
	Torbay
	Trafford
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Warrington
	Warwickshire
	West Berkshire
	West Sussex
	Wigan
	Wiltshire
	Windsor and Maidenhead
	Wirral
	Wokingham
	Worcestershire
	York

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the integration of school and onsite catering into the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Our guidance, which applies to all secondary schools including those in BSF, Building Bulletin 98, The Briefing Framework for Secondary School Projects, sets out recommendations for a range of options to suit the catering arrangements of the school. All of which is designed to promote healthy eating to children and young people. We do not require that every school have a kitchen on site big enough for all purposes, because it is up to local authorities and schools to decide how best to meet the Government's nutritional standards. The Department's Inspirational Design for Kitchen Spaces provides technical guidance.
	Integration of existing onsite catering services into BSF facilities management contracts is not mandatory. It will vary within each local authority according to the current contractual arrangements for the services and the proposed future model of delivery for BSF. We would of course expect local authorities to make decisions following consultation with schools and based on value for money.

Children: Missing Persons

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children have gone missing from local authority care homes in each local authority in the last five years.

Beverley Hughes: The following table provides information on the number of children in care in each local authority that have gone missing from children's homes in England for the years ending 31 March 2004 to 2008.
	
		
			  Children looked after who went missing from care during the years ending 31 March, by local authority1,2,3,4,5, years ending 31 March 2004 to 2008coverage: England 
			   All children looked after who went missing from care  Children looked after who went missing from children's homes only 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			  England 730 860 980 0 280 260 290 0 0 0 
			
			  North East 30 20 20 0 20 20 10 0 0 0 
			 Darlington  0  0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Durham 0  0 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gateshead 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hartlepool 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Middlesbrough 0  0 0  0  0 0 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Tyneside  5  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Northumberland 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0  0 0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 South Tyneside 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stockton-on-Tees   0 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Sunderland 20 10 15 0 20 15 10 0 0 0 
			
			  North West 100 120 140 0 70 50 70 0 0 0 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0   0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Blackpool 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bolton 20 30 30 0 20 20 20 0 0 0 
			 Bury  5  00 0 0 
			 Cheshire0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Cumbria0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Halton  0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Knowsley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lancashire 10 10  0  5  0 0 0 
			 Liverpool 10 20 15 0   10 0 0 0 
			 Manchester 10 5 10 00 0 0 
			 Oldham   5 0 10   0 0 0 
			 Rochdale  0 0 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Salford  0  0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Sefton  10 5 0   10 0 0 0 
			 St Helens 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Stockport 10 10 15 0 10  5 0 0 0 
			 Tameside  15 10 0   5 0 0 0 
			 Trafford   15 00 0 0 
			 Warrington  0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Wigan   5 0  0  0 0 0 
			 Wirral0 0 0  0 0 0 
			
			  Yorkshire and the Humber 70 60 70 0 20 20 20 0 0 0 
			 Barnsley 15  0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 
			 Bradford 10 15 10 0   5 0 0 0 
			 Calderdale 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Doncaster  10  0 0 0 5 0 0 0 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire0   0 0 0 0 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 5 5 0 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Kirklees 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leeds 30 5 15 0   0 0 0 0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0  5 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 5  0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Rotherham   25 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sheffield0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Wakefield0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 York 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			
			  East Midlands 40 30 20 0 10  10 0 0 0 
			 Derby0   0 0 0 0 
			 Derbyshire0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Leicester 5   00 0 0 
			 Leicestershire0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lincolnshire0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Northamptonshire 20 10  0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Nottingham   0 0  0  0 0 0 
			 Nottinghamshire0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Rutland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			
			  West Midlands 60 100 110 0 30 10 40 0 0 0 
			 Birmingham 20 30 5 0 10 5 15 0 0 0 
			 Coventry 5 10 10 00 0 0 
			 Dudley 10 10 10 0 5  10 0 0 0 
			 Herefordshire 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sandwell 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Shropshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Solihull   10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Staffordshire  5 10 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 0 5 25 0  0  0 0 0 
			 Telford and Wrekin 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Walsall 5 10 20 00 0 0 
			 Warwickshire 10 10 10 0   0 0 0 0 
			 Wolverhampton 5 5 10 00 0 0 
			 Worcestershire0 0 0  0 0 0 
			
			  East of England 60 60 60 0 20 10 10 0 0 0 
			 Bedfordshire 5 5 0 00 0 0 
			 Cambridgeshire  5 5 00 0 0 
			 Essex 20 15 30 0 10  5 0 0 0 
			 Hertfordshire   5 00 0 0 
			 Luton 5 5 5 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Norfolk  10  0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Peterborough 10 5  0  0  0 0 0 
			 Southend-on-Sea 0 5 5 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suffolk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Thurrock 10  0 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			  London 250 270 310 0 70 100 80 0 0 0 
			 Inner London 120 110 120 0 20 50 40 0 0 0 
			 Camden 20 5  0 0 10 5 0 0 0 
			 City of London 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Hackney 10 5 5 0 0 5  0 0 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham  5  0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Haringey 25 25 15 0  10 10 0 0 0 
			 Islington 10 10  0  10  0 0 0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0  20 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Lambeth 15 10 25 0 5   0 0 0 
			 Lewisham 15 20  0  5 5 0 0 0 
			 Newham   15 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Southwark 5 10 10 0  5  0 0 0 
			 Tower Hamlets   5 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Wandsworth0   0 0 0 0 
			 Westminster 5 10 15 00 0 0 
			
			  Outer London 120 160 190 0 50 50 50 0 0 0 
			 Barking and Dagenham 10 15 25 00 0 0 
			 Barnet 10 10 5 0  5  0 0 0 
			 Bexley 0 5 5 0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Brent 20 20 30 0  10 5 0 0 0 
			 Bromley   0 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Croydon 0  10 0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Ealing 20 10  0  10  0 0 0 
			 Enfield  10 15 0 5   0 0 0 
			 Greenwich 10  10 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Harrow 5  0 00 0 0 
			 Havering  5 10 00 0 0 
			 Hillingdon 15 25 25 0 10  10 0 0 0 
			 Hounslow 10 15 10 0 10  5 0 0 0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Merton 5  5 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Redbridge 10 20 10 0  5 10 0 0 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 0  0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Sutton  10 15 0  0  0 0 0 
			 Waltham Forest 0  10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			
			  South East 80 130 180 0 30 30 40 0 0 0 
			 Bracknell Forest   5 0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Brighton and Hove 10 5  0   0 0 0 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 0 0  0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 East Sussex  5 0 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 10 15 50 0  10 5 0 0 0 
			 Isle of Wight0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Kent 20 50 35 0 15 10 25 0 0 0 
			 Medway Towns 5   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Milton Keynes  5 5 0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Oxfordshire0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Portsmouth   0 00 0 0 
			 Reading   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Slough 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Southampton 5 5 30 0 5   0 0 0 
			 Surrey 5 20 35 0  0  0 0 0 
			 West Berkshire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 West Sussex0 0 0  0 0 0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead   0 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Wokingham  5  0   0 0 0 0 
			
			  South West 40 70 70 0 10 10 10 0 0 0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0   0  0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bournemouth 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Bristol, City of0   0 0 0 0 
			 Cornwall  10 15 00 0 0 
			 Devon  20 15 0 0  5 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire0  0  0 0 0 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Somerset 10 5 5 00 0 0 
			 Plymouth 10 5 15 0 0   0 0 0 
			 Poole0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Somerset 0   0  0  0 0 0 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Swindon 0   0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Torbay  10 10 0 0  0 0 0 0 
			 Wiltshire  5  0 0   0 0 0 
			 (1) Source: SSDA903 return on children looked after. (2) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements. (3) Historical data may differ from older publications. This is mainly due to the implementation of amendments and corrections sent by some local authorities after the publication date of previous materials. (4) Children who went missing on more than one occasion during the year have been counted once. (5) Includes looked after children who were missing from care for a period of more than 24 hours.

Children: Safety

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made in implementing the child road safety strategy produced in 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I have been asked to reply.
	Progress in implementing the child road safety strategy includes disseminating the Kerbcraft child pedestrian training scheme and the rolling out of the Bikeability cycle training scheme and of the School Travel Plan target. A new long-term child advertising campaignTales of the Roadhas been launched and in order to develop a strategic framework for road safety education, the Department for Transport has commissioned a project, which is now well advanced, to review existing materials and then produce a comprehensive set of road safety educational material.
	This and other work to improve the road safety of children and young people is being carried forward under the umbrella of DCSF's PSA target to improve children's and young peoples' safety. The Department for Transport is working closely with DCSF on this.

Children's Centres: Pre-school Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he expects all Sure Start children's centres with early years provision to be led by someone with Early Years Professional Status.

Beverley Hughes: Currently we expect all Sure Start Children's Centres offering early years provision to employ a qualified teacher upon designation. It is our aim that all Sure Start Children's Centres offering early years provision also employ someone with Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) to plan and lead delivery of the integrated child care and early learning provision by 2010, taking advantage, therefore, of the expertise of both types of graduates. These requirements are set out in the Sure Start Children's Centre Planning and Performance Management Guidance, published in November 2006. It is up to children's centres how they meet this aim.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England who were entitled to education maintenance allowance did not receive any payments in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is based on household income. The Department for Children, Schools and Families does not hold information on household income for every eligible 16to 18-year-old who participates in a course that meets the EMA valid provision criteria. Therefore it is not possible to calculate the number of students who were entitled to EMA but did not receive any payments or did not take up their entitlement.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of young people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England received education maintenance allowance in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09 to date;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England have received (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 in education maintenance allowance in (A) 2006-07, (B) 2007-08 and (C) 2008-09 to date.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Mark Haysom the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of young people in  (a) North Wiltshire constituency,  (b) Wiltshire,  (c) Swindon and  (d) England have received (i) 10, (ii) 20 and (iii) 30 education maintenance allowance in each year since the scheme began.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Mark Haysom the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether the planned extension of the education maintenance allowance to include young people taking entry to employment courses have commenced.

Jim Knight: From July 2008 all Entry to Employment (E2E) learners have received the maximum education maintenance allowance (EMA) regardless of their household income. Once a young person has completed their E2E programme and is ready to progress onto other post-16 provision they will be expected to apply again for EMA and will be subject to an income assessment the same as other EMA applicants.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people entitled to the education maintenance allowance received no payments between 1 September 2008 and 31 December 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA has transferred to Capita as from 28 November 2008. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many education maintenance allowance claims have yet to be processed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many education maintenance allowance claims have been lost since  (a) 1 September 2008 and  (b) 1 December 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA transferred to Capita as from 28 November 2008. Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Yeovil with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many overdue education maintenance allowance payments there were at the latest date for which figures are available; and when he expects all overdue payments to have been made.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA has transferred to Capita as from 28 November 2008. Mark Haysom, the LSC's Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Stroud with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Disqualification

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many young people have had their education maintenance allowance withdrawn as a result of  (a) disruptive behaviour in school or college and  (b) poor attendance in each year since the scheme began.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Mark Haysom, the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Library.

Education: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he will next visit educational establishments in Chorley constituency.

Edward Balls: I regularly visit schools in the North West and I look forward to visiting a school in Chorley with my hon. Friend when I am next in the region.

Head Teachers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the local area pilots to improve head teacher succession planning within and across schools; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In 2006, we asked the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) to develop and lead a succession planning strategy. As part of this, NCSL has rolled out the local solutions approach nationally. 148(1) local authorities have signed partnership agreements with NCSL to continue to address the succession challenge, which includes a particular focus on leadership diversification and the challenges faced by small primaries and faith schools. The local solutions programme is being evaluated externally by Warwick university and is due to report in early 2010. Evidence so far shows that 91 per cent. of LAs are better prepared to tackle succession planning than when they first engaged with the programme in 2007, and that LAs are making progress in supporting schools to better develop and mentor leaders and establish effective leadership cultures. NCSL's internal evaluation indicates that LAs are making good progress in assessing their data and developing, implementing and monitoring their local strategies. The succession planning programme met its 2008-09 targets to stabilise headship vacancies and temporary filled posts.
	(1) The Isles of Scilly and the City of London LAs have not signed partnership agreements. The small number of schools within these LAs participate in the programme by working with neighbouring LAs.

Headteachers: Disciplinary Proceedings

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many headteachers have been suspended for  (a) three to six months,  (b) six to nine months and  (c) more than a year in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what guidance his Department provides to local authorities on the suspension of  (a) headteachers and  (b) other teaching staff; and what grounds he has to intervene when such guidance has not been followed;
	(3)  what duty local authorities have to report the suspensions of headteachers to his Department;
	(4)  what powers his Department has to investigate the suspension of headteachers or other senior staff; and on what occasions such powers have been exercised in the last three years.

Jim Knight: The operation of disciplinary procedures, including those that result in suspension, is a matter for local determination. To support schools in this area there are a variety of sources of advice available to help governing bodies with their responsibilities. The DCSF's 'A Guide to the Law for School Governors and Staffing' guidance set out the statutory responsibilities falling to schools and local authorities as employers. This guidance is available through www.governornet.co.uk and www.teachernet.co.uk. These sources also provide access to an extensive range of additional guidance material including materials from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
	Schools and local authorities are therefore able to draw from a wide variety of guidance when devising their policies and handling disciplinary cases, including suspension.
	In respect of both head teachers and other teaching staff our guidance makes it clear that suspension is a neutral act allowing time to assess the situation before a final decision is taken. It does not imply guilt but provides an opportunity for matters to be investigated; nor does it go into detail about issues such as the length of any suspension. Decisions of this nature are best left to schools to determine, drawing on the guidance that is available and where appropriate on advice and support from local authorities. The only circumstances where the Secretary of State may become involved would be when an individual seeks intervention on the basis that the suspension is taking an unreasonably long time or the governing body appear not to be taking any further action.
	There is no duty on local authorities to report suspensions of headteachers to the Department. Other than the circumstances described above the Secretary of State would not ordinarily become involved in suspensions of head teachers or other senior staff and there are no centrally held records setting out when and to what extent the Secretary of State has been involved. Accordingly the information requested is not collected centrally.

Mathematics: Teachers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much the teacher training bursary for mathematics teachers was in academic year 2008-09.

Jim Knight: 9,000 teacher training bursaries are payable in England to eligible trainees training to teach mathematics starting postgraduate courses leading to Qualified Teacher Status in 2008/09.

National Academy of Parenting Practitioners

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether the National Academy of Parenting Practitioners provides support and training directly to parents to train them to deliver parenting classes to other parents.

Beverley Hughes: The National Academy for Parenting Practitioners (NAPP) training offer is for parenting practitioners working in services such as Sure Start Children's Centres, schools, Youth Offending Teams, voluntary and community groups and other locally identified priority services; and those practitioners in priority roles who are working with families at risk with high levels of need (eg practitioners in Family Intervention Projects and the Parenting Early Intervention project).
	The academy have asked parenting commissioners within local authorities to coordinate local responses to its training offer so that each authority's bid reflects locally identified needs and services. Some of the parenting programmes used by the Academy (including Families and Schools Together (FAST) and Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities) use trained practitioners to work with parents in the delivery of training to parents.

National Curriculum Tests

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children attained the national standard in all of their Key Stage 1 assessments in the areas between  (a) 0 and 10 per cent.,  (b) 10 and 30 per cent.,  (c) 30 and 50 per cent.,  (d) 50 and 70 per cent.,  (e) 70 and 90 per cent. and  (f) 90 and 100 per cent. on the index of deprivation in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: The information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The latest published Key Stage 1 results at local authority level (provisional) can be found in Statistical Release 21/2008:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000806/index.shtml

New National Challenge Programme

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has for the launch of the New National Challenge Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The National Challenge Programme was launched on 10 June 2008. It will continue to sustain schools in need of additional support to ensure no school has fewer than 30 per cent. of pupils securing five higher level GCSEs including English and mathematics by 2011.

Schools: Accountancy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of the 2006-07 Consistent Financial Reporting Framework to support improved financial reporting and benchmarking by schools;
	(2)  whether the functionality to allow schools to be identified by name on the school financial benchmarking website has been implemented.

Jim Knight: Consistent financial reporting provides a detailed breakdown of the income and expenditure of each maintained school in England. It was introduced in 2002-03 and has subsequently undergone only minor revisions.
	The data underpin the schools' financial benchmarking website. The site provides schools with the tools to compare their expenditure with that of similar schools. They can then tailor their spending and re-allocate resources to ensure that education spending reflects local educational policy and priorities and is effective in delivering them. During the 2007/08 academic year the site was accessed by over 10,000 schools and it is also used by local authorities.
	There may be occasions where a school might want to contact another about its data, clarify their expenditure and discuss ways to address particular problems. In order to facilitate this, charts are now labelled with school names and their unique seven digit local authority and establishment number. Where names and number labels do not appear, the data have been suppressed in line with data protection rules to ensure that salary information for individuals cannot be identified. School names are only made available for registered users of the website, specifically schools and local authorities. Other users may access benchmarking information under 'guest user' terms but named data will not be visible to further protect the anonymity of individuals and schools.
	In October and November 2008 the Department's efficiency and value for money team included CFR and benchmarking presentations in six regional conferences. These conferences were aimed at local authority education finance staff and auditors. Overall, participants were very positive about the effectiveness of the benchmarking website and CFR. They particularly welcomed the ease with which they were able to access information to allow comparison and to identify and flag up important resource trends.

Schools: Standards

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many schools were in special measures on 1 December 2008;
	(2)  how many schools were classed as requiring significant improvement on 1 December 2008.

Jim Knight: The following table shows the number of schools requiring special measures and significant improvement (notice to improve) at 31 August 2008. It reflects the latest information published by Ofsted. Data for the autumn term 2008 are due to be published at the end of this month.
	
		
			   Number of schools requiring special measures at 31 August 2008  Number of schools requiring significant improvement at 31 August 2008 
			 Primary 157 168 
			 Secondary 50 70 
			 Special 14 2 
			 Pupil referral unit 12 1 
			 Total 233 241

Specialised Diplomas

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the outcomes of the consultation on Promoting achievement, valuing success: a strategy for 14 to 19 qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: In March 2008 we published our consultation paper Promoting achievement, valuing success: A strategy for 14-19 qualifications. The consultation closed on 23 June 2008. We published a summary of the responses to the consultation on the DCSF consultation website
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations
	in July 2008 and published our formal response to the consultation in our Delivering 14-19 Reform: Next Steps document which was published on 13 October 2008
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/14-19nextsteps.

Teachers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many mathematics teachers were employed in maintained  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in England in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many teachers of foreign languages were employed in maintained secondary schools in England in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information requested is not available.
	The number of mathematics teachers in maintained primary schools is not collected centrally; the number of teachers of mathematics and foreign languages in maintained secondary schools in England is collected as part of the Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey. This is an occasional survey that does not provide a full-time series.
	The following table gives data from the 2002 and 2007 surveys, the most recent years available:
	
		
			  Number of mathematics and foreign language teachers in maintained secondary schools in England; 2002 and 2007 
			   Full-time( 1)  Full-time equivalent( 1) 
			   2002  2007  2002  2007 
			 Mathematics 28,200 28,300 n/a 30,800 
			  
			 Foreign Languages(2) 
			 French 16,000 13,000 n/a 14,900 
			 German 6,900 5,800 n/a 6,600 
			 Spanish 3,600 4,800 n/a 5,200 
			 Other modem languages 1,400 1,800 n/a 2,100 
			 (1 )Full-time teacher numbers are provided for 2002 and 2007; full-time equivalent teacher numbers (which includes part-time teachers) were only collected in 2007. (2 )Foreign language teachers may include some double counting as teachers are counted once under each subject they teacha teacher teaching both French and German, for example, will be counted once under each subject in the table.  Source:  Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey, 2002 and 2007

Teachers: Training

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent progress has been made on the Transition to Teaching programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Transition to Teaching was launched in July 2008 with some 50 organisations backing it. Since then this has risen to some 130 organisations supporting the programme by agreeing to promote teaching as a second career to their staff. In addition to this, many outplacement organisations have recently agreed to promote Transition to Teaching to companies they work with, and many influencing organisations, including the CBI, are supporting the programme. Transition to Teaching consultants are currently supporting 58 individuals at different stages of the process of deciding whether or not to become a teacher. So far five of these have entered teacher training, a further four have been offered teacher training places and most of the rest have applied for a place or intend to do so soon.

Young People: Antisocial Behaviour

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Youth Taskforce has taken to improve responses to  (a) antisocial behaviour and other serious problems and  (b) work with Government Offices and other bodies to improve local authority performance.

Beverley Hughes: The Youth Taskforce is now working across the country to drive improved local delivery of services and support for young people, ensuring that every local area has an effective approach to keep young people on track. The key steps taken by the Youth Taskforce are set out in my previous answer of 19 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 1154-55W.
	The taskforce works closely with Government offices and other key partners including children's services, the police, youth justice and community safety services, to improve responses to youth antisocial behaviour, in line with the Government's Improvement and Efficiency Strategy for LA performance.
	This includes funding specific projects to test and develop innovative approaches, ministerial and official visits, and regional and national training events for practitioners and managers, sharing practice between areas.